The Redhead Outlander
by Alvia the Ginger
Summary: I was just a red-haired girl, in the immensity of my universe. A simple accident and I find myself alone with a dangerous knowledge in a dangerous and yet so wonderful world. English is not my mother tongue.
1. Prologue

Bonjour tous le monde, je suis de retour avec une nouvelle histoire. et pour la première fois je la publie en anglais ( même si je publierais surement la version française plus tard, genre quand l'histoire sera fini... du coup c'est pas sûr ^^' ) bref. Comme vous l'avez surement lu dans le résumé c'est un OC extrêmement basée sur ma personne (Pour ne pas dire que c'est totalement moi). Certains aiment ce format, d'autres non. Mais je le fais pour moi même à la base dont NAH ! * je vous tire la langue*. 18 ans toujours pas mature ;p.

Sinon, je recherche une bêta anglaise pour cette histoire. comme c'est ma première auto-traduction sur une histoire je ne suis pas trop sûr de ce que je fais ( enfin si quand même un peu). C'est complètement différent de la traduction anglais-français du coup il y aura très certainement des fautes mais plus dans la tournures des phrases je pense. je vous en parlerais à la fin.

Bonne lecture les gens !

**Hello everyone! this is my first time in english, so please don't hurt me so much with the reviews please ?**

**Like I said, in the resume it's about an oc based on me ( I wasn't going to say it was an self insert, even if i want it. We all know we would like to be in the Whoniverse). Some people like stories like this, some people don't. for my part, I appreciate when the character is well written. Where when the story of the OC is not too far-fetched.**

**Also I'm looking for a English beta. This is my first self-translation on my own story, I'm not too sure of what I'm doing (well anyway). It is completely different from the English-French translation, so there will certainly be mistakes but more in the turn of the sentences, I think ... I'll talk about it at the end.**

**Enjoy the reading everyone !**

* * *

You know, I'm not a 'normal' girl. I am quite the opposite in fact.

I'm the kind of girl who loves shows and movies. Going on the internet, publishing things on social network, but not in a "I display my life continuously, look at me, I'm boring!" kinda way. I like to listen to music, a little of all styles but with a preference for the soundtracks of series and films as well as rock and metal. And classical, don't forget classical. My favourite is Chopin.

I like reading, I read a lot in fact. Books, comics, mangas. Fanfictions too. Lot of fanfictions.

My name is Alvia. Well, that's what I tell people anyway. I keep my real name to myself. I'm not sure what others could do with it. Paranoid? No! I'm just realistic to my situation.

What situation, you ask? The most unfeasible, the most impossible, and the most incredible.

I'm French. I was born on September 9th, 2000 and grew up in France for almost 19 years. 'Almost' is the key word. Before I could go home for school after the All Saint's holidays, I found myself far from a home that I can now never return to. I grew up in a loving family, with everything that any child would want.

I left my Grandmother's at the end of the February holidays. After several hours of train travel, I arrived at the station where I found myself on the bus returning home.

I never arrived at my destination. There was a weather warning in the southwest for a small storm, but in truth, it was a rather large one.

I was sitting alone at the back of the bus, my bags on the floor and my suitcase on the other side of me. The rain fell quickly and violently, and it was impossible for me to see through the window. Despite my earphones and the music in my ears, I could still hear the thunder rumbling loudly, shaking the windows with its force. The driver had drastically slowed down the bus and the lightning constantly lit the sky, as if someone was playing with a light switch.

I had closed my eyes, tired by the long hours of travelling, and fell asleep little by little to the vibrations of the engine. Within moments I was drifting off to sleep - which was a bit of a mistake.

It's crazy how quickly an accident can happen. In seconds the bus deviated violently from its path. I don't know what happened next, but what I do know is that if we had had an accident, I should be dead or injured and not carried by a white light to London along with my belongings.

You read correctly, in one blink, me and my things went from a road accident in France to rainy park.

XXXX

I was on the ground, my bags and suitcase next to me. The rain soaked through my clothes quickly and I blinked in disbelief. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I ended up staying in the rain long enough to alert a woman. She came quickly over to me and spoke in a language that I did not at first understand, but quickly recognized words from the English language.

"Hey? Are you all right?"

"I... I think... Where am I?"

"In London, darling! Do you want me to call for help? Is there anyone specific I can call?"

"I... I..."

The woman helped me up and gathered my belongings. She took my suitcase and one of my bags.

"You look completely lost, come to my place. A good cup of tea and warmth is what you need. Come on, come on!"

The woman led me to her home. An apartment with walls painted yellow. She gently pushed me down onto a cream couch. I put my bag to the side and tried to think despite the shock. How? How? Could I teleport myself? Is it a dream? Am I in a coma? Am I dead? Oh my God! I am dead?!

"Are you alright sweetheart?" The woman unknowingly interrupted my thoughts.

I raised my head towards her, finally getting a proper look. She was blonde and was the spitting image of the actress who played Jackie Tyler in Doctor Who. When I didn't answer her question, she carried on speaking.

"I'm Jackie Tyler. And what about you sweetheart? What's your name?"

Oh my god... Now I must be in a fucking dream. Quick, a name, anything!

"Alvia, ma'am. Just Alvia."

"Alvia, very well. Do you have any family that you can contact? Friends? Anything?"

I shook my head. If I was actually in the whoniverse then there is very little chance that I can contact my parents. And even if I could, what would I tell them? Hi, I'm your future daughter from another world, can I live with you please?

"Well, if you don't have anyone you can stay here as long as you want. My daughter disappeared five months ago now, not a word, nothing. Her room is available if you want it. I am still looking for her though – I'm not about to give up hope."

"I can't! You don't even know me, I could be a criminal for all you know!" I exclaimed.

She laughed at my panic.

"All I know is that you are a girl who is around the age of my daughter and who doesn't have anywhere or anybody."

"But you must pay rent, I should pay you!"

"Oh, shut up and accept what you're being offered!"

I don't say a word more. Jackie Tyler handed me a towel so that I could dry myself off. When my hair was nearly dry a yawn of fatigue escaped me. Rose's mother showed me the room in which I was going to stay indefinitely. Very pink by the way. How could anyone sleep with so much pink?

"Not a fan of pink, I see?" She commented after seeing the look on my face.

"I prefer blue."

"I see. Your accent is charming, where do you come from?"

"France, I'm French."

She smiled sweetly at me and returned to the living room, leaving me alone. I put my suitcase in a corner of the room with my bags. I took off my shoes, my trousers and my jacket, leaving me in a t-shirt and underwear. I then removed my watch, my rings, my necklace and glasses. I was tired and my head ached, so I fell asleep quickly. Tomorrow would be another day.

XXXX

It was the sun that woke me up. When I opened my eyes, I didn't recognize my environment, and to this unknown I reacted quickly. I jumped up and left the room quickly. When I reached the living room, I was greeted by Jackie, who was quietly drinking her tea, and the sound of the television that was broadcasting the news. At this sight, my heart calmed down and I became aware of the latest events. My shoulders sagged and I sighed with pity and relief. I returned to the pink room to put on my trousers and joined Jackie for breakfast.

"I didn't know what you like to eat, so I prepared a little bit of everything." Jackie informed me.

I thanked her and began to serve myself. I had a glass of orange juice and toast that I covered with jam. It wasn't a huge breakfast, but it was enough for me.

When I finished, Jackie was kind enough to offer to help me settle into what was going to be my new room. She rearranged her daughter's wardrobe so I could put in my clothes and shoes. She took the clothes that were dirty so that they could be washed. When we finished with my clothes, she left me alone for the day. So, I took the initiative to empty my two bags and summarize what I had to hide from others and what I could use without fear.

First, my computer and my phone. They were hidden and secured to the maximum. I simply updated the security system and set a password. I chose for my password to be my real name, my year of birth and my birthday. For my phone, I decided to keep it on me. I already had a security system in place, a fingerprint and pin code, so the security was satisfactory at that time. I then put my phone in my pocket and my computer and charger in its bag under the bed. I would use it later.

The rest of my things were easy to put away, I had some books including Sherlock Holmes and Good Omens. I also had my pencil case, my sketchbook and my e-book reader and charger. I couldn't thank my dad enough for packing all my favourite books. I had about 2000 in my bag.

Rummaging in my bag I took out my TARDIS wallet which had about fifty euros in cash and my credit card. At the sight of the money, I remembered that I absolutely had to learn the monetary system in England. I had to integrate. So, I took one of my sketchbooks and started a list of things to do and buy:

1 - Learn to use English money.

Because I didn't know the English currency clearly enough.

2 - Never wear the weeping angel t-shirt.

The image of an angel is an angel. I have enough problems and I do not need to add an angel into the equation.

3 - Avoid making references to the series and especially to series that haven't come out yet.

And I hope they will come out.

4 - Limit the use of my phone and computer (except in the case of extreme urgency)

5 - Wait about one year to meet the Doctor and Rose.

Also, to prepare for the possibility of Rose's rage when she meets me.

6 - Prepare for invasion of the Slitheen / Raxacoricofallapatorians.

And all the other invasions on Earth – also, try not to get killed.

7 – The Daleks are real, and, if I meet one, run as far as possible without being spotted by them.

8 – Do the same for the cybermen.

9 – And anything that can potentially kill me without me doing anything.

10 – Torchwood 1 is still active, so I must keep a low profile.

11 – The Master is crazy and dangerous even if he is hot and sexy. It's absolutely not a good idea to join him. Same for Missy.

12 - Try to talk about main problems with the Doctor.

13 - Try not to get killed yourself.

Because I want to die in my sleep if possible and only when I'm a 90-year-old grandma.

14 - Avoid talking about spoilers as much as possible.

I know myself, there is a chance that this will happen in the next 5 minutes.

15 - Never, ever change a fixed point or time itself.

The fury of the last Time Lord is the last thing I want to provoke, and the Time Lord Victorious is wrong. And I do not want to have the Reapers appear because of me.

When I was satisfied with my list, I tore off my page and folded it in four before putting it in the inside pocket of my beige trench coat. (It's like the 10th doctors coat, I found it at a charity shop, and I really love it)

It was now time for me, Alvia, 18, Whovian, to face - the Whoniverse.

* * *

Qu'en pensez vous ? je vais continuer de toute façon.

A propos de la bêta, comme je l'ai dit je recherche une bêta anglais qui puisse me corriger toute le faute que je ne vois pas en anglais :/

j'aimerais que ce soit une bêta qui ne prennent pas en compte le temps entre mes chapitres, parce que je me connais très bien et je vais mettre du temps entre les chapitres. Rien que pour écrire les chapitres en question et d'autres histoire que je publierais quand ma première histoire sera terminé ( c'est à dire dans longtemps)

A bientôt les gens!

**What do you think ? I will continue anyway.**

**About the beta, as I said I'm looking for an English beta that can correct me all the fault that I do not see in English: /**

**I would like it to be a beta that does not take into account the time between my chapters, because I know myself very well and I will put time between chapters. Just to write the chapters in question and other stories that I would publish when my first story is finished.**

**see you soon peoples !**


	2. Alien in London

Hello everyone ! First chapter (because before it was a prologue), we start directly with the episode "Alien In London"!

Little infos before starting, I created a new Tumblr (because I have one at the base) on which I would post some picture of clothing that my OC wears, like a coat, a t-shirt ... Because the description is good, but seeing in real life is better!

the name is : alviatheginger. tumblr. com ( sorry for spaces but ffnet does not like links :/ )

I recently had notifications from an author who follows this story: Bored411. when I saw the notifier when I got up in the morning, it made my day. "Alexander The Seer and Change of Time" is one of my favorite Doctor Who fanfictions!

Hum Hum * coughing up *

I will not hold you back any longer, enjoy your reading!

* * *

It's been 7 months since I arrived at Jackie Tyler's. I thought she was a little too overbearing and demanding in the series, but I realized she was only being a single mother worried about her child. This child, of course, had disappeared, and we don't know where.

This morning, when I woke up, the weather was pretty clear and cloudless. In short, it was a good day. The problem was the sweat that had stuck to my skin since waking up. Trusting my instincts, I put myself in comfortable clothes that were fit for the weather. So, after donning a black t-shirt with a white sky, trees, a UFO and text that says "I WANT TO BELIEVE" printed on it, I put my black jeans and my worn red converses on. I took my black sweater and leather jacket and prepared to put them on my shoulders when I heard the noise of something breaking in the living room. I ran, worried, around the living room to see Jackie holding a girl I guessed was Rose Tyler.

"Jackie, are you all right?"

No answer. At the same time, what was I expecting?

Suddenly, a man with a black leather jacket came in. They were the spitting image of Christopher Eccleston. It's the Doctor.

"It's not 12 hours, it's... 12 months. You have been gone a whole year."

A mocking sniff escaped me, drawing everyone's attention - and Rose Tyler's fury, to me.

"Who are you?!" She shouted, "What are you doing in my house?!"

"Whoa, blondie! Calm down! How can you ask me who I am when you disappeared for a year? Don't you know the meaning of the word priority?"

My question unanswered, I put my sweater and jacket on before starting to leave.

"I'm going to get some fresh air, Jackie! I'll leave you alone to reunite with your daughter!"

A smile settled on my lips and when I put my eyes on the man, a slightly mocking laugh emerging without me being able to stop myself. I then went to the roof. I knew that the Doctor was going there, and it had been a little quiet corner for me in recent months.

I just met the 9th Doctor. My first doctor. He was, as I thought, a look-alike of the actor, although a little taller than I had imagined, or was it because I was rather small compared to others? Anyway, a minute had passed before I could hear Jackie's voice. I wondered if everyone could hear what she was saying. Surely. The Doctor's slap is something I would not have missed, yet I did. I might have a second chance to see him get slapped by Martha's mother if I survive this episode and the Battle of Canary Wharf.

I sat on the concrete platform, enjoying the calm before the storm. If you'll excuse my bad pun. The Doctor... I still can't believe it, despite all the evidence before me.

So, I closed my eyes to calm down and felt the cool wind that had blown since this morning. I heard heavy footsteps and I guessed it was the Doctor, so I opened my eyes again and started to look at him from the corner of my eye. He rubbed his aching cheek. Oh, Jackie's slap, thank goodness I've never had to experience it.

"Nice t-shirt." says the Doctor.

"Thank you."

"So, who are you then?"

"Alvia, I've been here for seven months."

"Alvia, that's weird yet nice name. Alvia Who?"

I laughed; I had never heard that one before.

"Just Alvia."

"Your accent is weird."

"You're not the first to tell me that. I'm French."

"Your English is pretty good." complimented the Doctor.

"Quite correct, if I do say so myself. At certain times I lose my words and I speak in French, but of course nobody understands. Don't the British learn any languages at school?"

"No idea."

A silence settled between us. I hesitated to tell him that I came from another world. And even if I told him, would he believe me? What would be the consequences?

It was when I finally decided to talk to him that Rose arrived on the roof. Bad timing. She went to settle in front of me.

"I can't tell her. I can't even begin... She'll never forgive me. And I missed a year? Was it good?"

"You didn't miss much." I commented.

"I think I did, actually. Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"

"Your mother has taken me in."

"Yeah, and why did she do that? Do not you have your own family?" She asked me insensitively.

"Not Exactly, no. I have no family, no friends, no house! Nothing! Nada! Everything is gone!"

A tear ran down my cheek, making Rose feel guilty about her ignorance and worrying the Doctor about my condition. I wiped it away quickly.

"I'm sorry," said the Doctor.

"You don't need to be. It wasn't your fault. Life is like that. It is what it is."

Rose jumped up from the wall.

"Every conversation I have with you Doctor becomes completely mental. There is no one else I can talk to. I saw all that stuff up there, the size of it, and I can't say a word. Aliens and spaceships and things, and I am the only person on planet Earth who knows they exist."

_Egocentric girl..._

Just after Rose had finished speaking, a spaceship narrowly missed us as it fell from the sky and continued to Big Ben, where it crashed into the Thames. We got up hurriedly.

"You said you were the only one? Now that's no longer the case." I laughed.

"Oh, now it's not fair!"

The Doctor laughed happily, grabbed our hands and pulled us in the direction of the action. I was rather surprised that he held my hand, but I smiled with happiness and excitement. The Doctor, hold _my_ hand! Leave me in my Whovian moment!

We were running into town and it was a total chaos in the streets. When we arrived at the scene, the road was blocked by soldiers.

"It's blocked."

"Thank you Captain Obvious." I snickered.

"We're miles from the centre. The whole city must be gridlocked."

"I know, I can't believe I'm here to see this! It's fantastic!"

"Same!"

"Did you know this was going to happen?" Rose asked.

"Nope!"

_Yes_

"Do you recognize the ship?"

"Nope!"

_Yes_

"Do you know why it crashed?"

"Nope!"

_Unfortunately, yes._

"Oh, I'm so glad I've got you."

"I bet you are! This is what I travel for, Rose, to see history happening right in front of us."

"Well, let's go and see it. Never mind the traffic, we've got the TARDIS."

"If everyone is on alert, there is no way to pass by without being noticed," I intervened suddenly. "Maybe we should do what everyone else is doing, that is, watch TV?"

At my words the Doctor looked at me as if it was a completely new idea for him. At the same time, coming from the guy who hadn't noticed the London eye...

The Doctor approved of my idea, much to Rose's chagrin, and we returned to the estate and Jackie's apartment. So, I turned on the TV and stood next to the Doctor to give him the remote.

The doctor changed between two news channels; News 24 and another American one whose name I still don't know. At that very moment, Jackie's friends entered the apartment and it filled up quickly with noise. The scene behind me was exactly the same as the one happening in the episode. A lot of noise for nothing. I felt a migraine coming on.

At one moment, the TV changed onto a food channel where the presenter was making a spaceship cake. A laugh escaped me attracting the attention of the Doctor and the kid on his lap

"What were the odds that a ship crashed in the middle of London and he was cooking a space cake?"

I received no answer and the boy went away after a little fight with the Doctor. He had won the remote control.

The day passed rather quickly, and the Powell Estate was celebrating. I had put aside my leather jacket, which is nice, but I die of heat when I wear it with my black sweater. I saw the Doctor look around before getting up quickly and discreetly. Not wanting to stay amid anyone I didn't know, I started to follow him. Rose had quickly noticed our absence as she found us immediately.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"To the roof, I feel a bit left out inside, not really my family..." I apologized.

Rose accepted my apology, her eyes showed compassion. Or pity, I don't know…

"Nowhere!" Replied the Doctor. "It's just a bit human in there for me. History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top up cards for half price. I'm off on a wander, that's all."

"Right. There's a spaceship on the Thames and you're just _'wandering'_".

"Nothing to do with me. It's not an invasion, that was a genuine crash-landing. Angle of descent, colour of smoke, everything! It was perfect.

_A bit too perfect_

"So?"

"So, maybe this is it! First contact. The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race. I'm not interfering, 'cause you gotta handle this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were tiny and small and made of clay! Now you can expand!"

He laughed with joy and Rose smiled at his enthusiasm. I smiled at their complicity. Now it's time for me to move away. Surprisingly, the Doctor started to leave a few seconds after me. I heard Rose ask him to promise that he wasn't going to disappear, after that I entered the stairwell and I guessed he was going to give her the Tardis key. As I was about to get on the roof, the Doctor called me.

"Oi! Do you want to see something incredible? Follow me!"

Did he really propose that I could meet the TARDIS?! This is my only chance! Without even thinking, I turned around and went down to his side.

"Something incredible? I think Rose's return and this morning's crash was enough for my day and maybe my entire life."

The doctor chuckled at my comment. It was cute. His laugh I mean. And no need to tell me that I fangirl too much, Nine was my first doctor and I think one of my top 3 favourite regenerations. Ten is a close second and I still hesitate between Eleven and Twelve. I was lucky enough to watch Thirteen's debut, which was great by the way, and unfortunately, I would never know how it would end! I'm always frustrated about these details, I would never see the end of Season 11. Or the end of Game of Thrones, nor Fantastic Beasts, nor Infinity War! Shit!

We finally left the block of flats. As in the series, the woman on the third floor called out to the Doctor.

"Oi! Gorgeous! Come back and join the party!"

And another man called to me.

"Hey! Foxy, come here and enjoy the party!"

My cheeks ignited. Foxy?!

"Foxy?! Why Foxy?" I murmured furiously.

"It's the red hair." Replied the amused Doctor.

We finally approached the Tardis. The doctor pulled out his key and headed for the door. So, I decided to play the 'ignorance' card.

"That's your incredible thing. It's just a blue police booth used in the 1950s, and I admire the fact that it's well preserved."

"Go inside." he said, smiling as he opened the door.

"It's just a wooden box!"

He nodded at me and after an inner scream of joy and a false roll of the eyes, I headed inside. Which is bigger than the outside. Or is the outside smaller than the inside?

Now, I know I don't have to act. It's much more impressive than what we saw on the show. My mouth formulated a silent O. My eyes looked all around, and I think it was at that moment that all my rational thinking was erased and my vaguely scientific mind went out.

_Finally, it's my go!_

"Oh Mon **DIEU**! C'est… c'est… plus grand à l'intérieur !"

"Yup! It's the TARDIS, my spaceship."

"Ou plus petit de l'extérieur ?!" I continued without listening to the Doctor.

Honestly, I think I'm going to dramatize like twelve in the Christmas episode with River. That scene was so great.

"You're okay?"

"Je rêve, c'est un rêve. Ou droguée ! J'ai été droguée, je savais qu'il ne fallait pas que je bois le café de ce matin, il était bien trop sucré ! C'est toujours le café..." I murmured, falsely frantic and horrified.

"Seriously, you're starting to scare me, are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I doubt the reality of this place but I'm fine!"

He smiled at me and started pressing a few buttons before turning a handle. The column moved and the Tardis took off, making its famous sound.

"This sound…"

"Is there a problem?"

"It's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard!" I said to him smiling.

I climbed the stairs and headed for the driver's chair to sit down.

The console began to smoke. The doctor hit her several times with a hammer to solve the problem.

"So, are we going somewhere?"

"The Albion hospital is where the body is."

"What are you going to do after that?"

"I don't know, I'll see when I get there."

"The world is in danger, but you're there, running in circles without plan until the moment you find one. That's the usual for you, isn't it Doctor?"

The Doctor looked at me sharply and I put my hands to my mouth. The last sentence had escaped me.

"You know me." He dangerously accused. "Who are you really?"

This look, I know him. It's the Oncoming storm and it's coming for me.

"It's complicated."

"That doesn't work on me."

"No really, it's complicated."

He approached quickly and I couldn't help but try to make myself small.

"Last warning... Who are you?"

I crack, I had to tell him. I knew that I could never hide it for very long.

"From a parallel universe, one day I was going home to France and the next day I was in London in 2005!"

He stopped abruptly, frowning.

"And how would you know that you have changed universes to another?"

"First of all, my time. I found myself going from 2018 to 2005, but then, also, you."

"What, me?"

"You don't exist in my world, you're supposed to be fictitious to me!"

"What? I'm only a book character? That's ridiculous!" Denied the Doctor.

"I never said that you came from a book!" I exclaimed. "Listen, in my world we had a British sci-fi series created in 1963. In this series we follow the adventures of an alien and his companions with his space and time machine! Guess who the alien is?"

"What proves to me that you're telling the truth?"

"The first time you met Rose was in the basements of Henricks department store. Filled with Autons. You held her hand and you told her one word: Run."

The Doctor blanched suddenly. I think he believed me.

"This show follows my life? From what period?"

"I know the show started the day you took your first companions, Ian and Barbara. Of course, we don't follow all the episodes. More than 900 years of serial adventure is impossible."

The Doctor's anger came back quickly. But he displayed a mask of horror, anger, rage, and confusion.

"But that was centuries ago!" The Doctor finally shouted, "You've just admitted that a universe knows my whole life!"

"Not all your life." I tried to calm him down. "It's more like a well detailed summary instead of the whole story."

"That's not helping at all."

"Yeah... I know..." I apologized, rubbing my arms.

"That means you know where I come from."

"Yeah..."

_I feel like something bad is about to happen… _

"That also means you know about the Time War."

_Danger! Be careful what you say!_

"Yeah..."

"Did you watch it?"

I looked up at his face and fixed my eyes with his.

"Answer me, did the people who watched this show comfortably at home watch my people be killed and burned during the war!"

"The Time War has never been shown! We talk about it several times, we know who you fought against and how you ended it! That's all!"

My answer didn't seem to please him, since he caught me by the shoulder and slammed me against the console. My back ached painfully against the levers and buttons. I instinctively wanted to free myself from his grip, but he tightened it even more. A groan of pain escaped me as well as tears.

"It's always the same with you, humans, you love violence and death, except when you're the ones concerned!"

"You're hurting me, Doctor! Let me go!"

His mood changed instantly. He stepped back suddenly, as if I had burned him.

"Alvia ..."

I bent forward and massaged my bruised shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was trembling, he was sincere.

"I know…"

"I really am, I'm sorry."

"I _know_."

I rubbed my shoulder until the pain was only a dull ache. I kneaded my muscles deeply and then released.

"So…"

"So what?"

"So, do you believe me? About the parallel universe and all that?" I say, gesturing with my hand.

"Yeah. But if, as you say, you watch my life through a TV show, then that means you have knowledge of my future. So, we'll make it simple by laying down basic rules. You don't say a single piece of information, not a clue, not a reference, nothing. Do you understand?"

"Absolutely."

We agreed on the rules and smiled at each other. The doctor then went back to the console to look at the screen.

"So, are we going to Albion Hospital?"

"What did I say about the references?" The Doctor growled.

"It's not even future knowledge! It's a pure and simple fact! It's obvious that you are curious about this, and then you go and 'wander' off as if by chance!"

"Well. Indeed, we are going to the hospital, if the creature that was brought to the hospital is still alive, it's out of the question to leave it in the hands of humans."

I nodded in understanding. And after a chaotic ride we arrived at the hospital, in a storage cupboard.

The Doctor turned on his screwdriver, which made an unusual sound. A little too loudly for his taste since then he began to tell it to hush by turning it off quickly.

"It's sonic, it's definitely going to make a noise!" I whispered to him.

"Oh, Shut up!"

_Rude_

The Doctor finally unlocked the door and opened it. We found ourselves in a room where about twenty soldiers were talking and laughing. But they all became alert when they noticed us and quickly pointed their guns at us. And the Doctor smiled. Like always.

I wanted to comment on the timing of the smile but then we heard a shout. Toshiko. The Doctor stopped smiling and ran to the door quickly. One thing that is not really shown in the series. The doctor is not just _fast_, but _really fast_. It took me a good ten seconds to react and follow him.

"Defence plan delta! Come on, move! Move!"

The soldiers followed us into the halls towards the direction of the scream. We ran down the halls until we spotted Tosh on the floor, curled up.

"It's alive!"

I rushed to her to calm her down and the Doctor turned to the men behind us.

"Spread out. Tell the perimeter it's a lockdown."

"And do not shoot until we've ordered it," I ordered coldly, looking at them out of the corner of my eye.

The Doctor joined me and held Tosh's hands. The soldiers still haven't moved. And while Tosh told the Doctor that the creature was still alive, I took charge and shouted at them with courage I didn't know I had.

"For God's sake! MOVE, NOW! AND DO NOT SHOOT!"

The soldiers fled and began to scatter in the building.

"Nice one."

"Not now, Doctor. She's hurt and the creature is alive and scared!"

"Alvia, the rule..."

"Rules are made to be broken and in a moment like this I would not hesitate to break them, now shut up."

"I swear, it was dead." continued Toshiko in her shock.

"Coma, shock, hibernation, anything. What does it look like?"

A slight noise was heard, and the Doctor turned to the sound.

"It's still here."

I nodded even though the Doctor wasn't looking at me. The Doctor stood up and motioned for a soldier to enter the room. He discreetly searched for the sound and when he heard another noise he fell on his knees and crawled behind the desk. He could see the shadow of the pig on the other side of the desk. I prepared to get up quickly and run to catch him before he was killed by one of the soldiers.

"Hello" Began the Doctor in vain.

The pig screamed in terror and crossed the room at full speed. The soldier prepared his weapon despite the order I had given to him. But really, who would listen to an 18 year old girl?

"DON'T SHOOT!"

I ran after the pig and saw that one of the soldiers had his gun pointed at him. I sprinted then and caught the pig to exchange places with it. A bang was heard, and a sharp pain arose on my already bruised shoulder. The pain made me let out a groan and a good insult in French about his ancestors, and himself sans his descendants. I fell to the ground holding my shoulder and pressing my wound. The Doctor arrived immediately, glad that the pig wasn't dead. But his joy fell short when he saw me, on the floor, blood flowing from the shoulder under my hand.

"What did you do that for? It was scared and now you've hurt her!"

The soldier looked ashamed. He was guilty, At least. I got shot and fuck, it fucking hurt!

The pig moaned in fear and approached me while the Doctor crouched to look at my wound.

"Let me see your wound," he said softly.

I removed my hand covered with my own blood and he observed as best he could my wound. But the corridor was dark, and he couldn't see anything. He helped me up and took me to the room where we were previously. The pig followed me closely and did not leave me for a second.

When we arrived in the office, he carefully removed my sweater and pointed his screwdriver on my wound.

"The bullet is still inside but it hasn't touched any arteries or veins. I will remove the bullet when we're back on the TARDIS. For the moment, press hard enough to reduce the blood flow but don't press too hard either, the bullet is still in there."

The pig sniffs my hand covered with blood and moans in pity. While I put my hand on my shoulder, I stroke it with the other hand.

"I just assumed that's what alien's looked like. But you're saying it's an ordinary pig, from earth?"

"More like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat and gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid. Now someone's taken a pig, opened up its brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship, made it dive bomb. It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke."

"That's horrible…" I whispered. "You must have almost died of fear…"

The Doctor took my hand and we started to leave, the pig following me as usual. We quickly returned to the TARDIS and we dematerialized immediately before going to the medical bay.

There, he put me on the bed and took off my t-shirt.

"I loved that's shirt…" I sighed, seeing the hole in the shoulder.

"You just got shot and you're worrying about a t-shirt? Your sense of priorities worries me…"

The Doctor searched through some cabinets for medical equipment. Five minutes later everything was ready and he was already starting to remove the bullet from my shoulder. I felt no pain, thanks to the anaesthesia that the Doctor had given to me, but as a matter of Principle I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. For a while, I could hear nothing else but our breaths. I realised that I must find a name for the pig, as I will not call it 'pig' all the time. Suddenly, I heard a clear jingle at my side and when I opened my eyes, I saw a bullet covered with my own blood in a dish. The Doctor cleaned my wound and passed some kind of pen that repaired my flesh over it. It left a small pink scar on my skin.

"Here. The anaesthesia should be gone in about an hour. Meanwhile don't get shot again."

"Are you kidding me? It's my favourite pastime." I replied sarcastically. "Anyway, what are we going to do with Andre?"

"Andre?" He asked, confused.

"The pig."

"Oh... His body is not made to stand up, I'm afraid he has only a few hours to live at most."

"Poor thing…"

"You saved him from being shot to death, that's enough for him."

"But still."

We returned to the console room. The Doctor materialized the TARDIS where he was before the hospital and read a few things on the computer screen. I simply sat on the floor, as I did so often in my world. During break and lunch in high school, I had to sit down at some point. And if I was lucky, I was near the radiator in winter.

Andre then sat next to me, claiming caresses that I gave him willingly. He reacted like my dog. I miss him right now.

Rose entered the TARDIS. She saw me on the floor with Andre and looked annoyed while she glared at me. I think she doesn't like me. It's a pity, she was one of my favourites as the Doctor's companions. After Donna, Sarah Jane, Bill and of course Jack Harkness.

"Alright, so I lied. I went and had a look, but the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so, just too perfect. I mean, 'Hitting Big Ben'? Come on. So I thought, 'let's go and have a look.'"

"My mum's here."

The door creaked. Jackie, followed by Mickey, came inside. Mickey pales a little when he sees Andre next to me. It's true that seeing a pig sitting like a human in a space suit isn't a trivial thing.

"Oh, that's just what I need." Complained the Doctor. "Don't you dare make this place domestic!"

"You ruined my life, Doctor." Accused Mickey.

The Doctor spins smoothly around to face him. He had a look that clearly said 'keep going, I'm not listening'

"They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you."

"See what I mean?" Said the Doctor to Rose. "Domestic!"

The Doctor spins back to face the computer screen and Mickey takes a few steps towards him, wanting to continue the one-sided fight. He was clearly upset.

"I bet you don't even remember my name!"

"Ricky"

"It's Mickey"

"No, it's Ricky."

"I think I know my own name."

"You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?"

Mickey was about to continue the Doctor's game, but he was prevented from doing so, when Jackie ran out of the Tardis and Rose pursued her quickly.

"Mum, don't!"

She turned to the boys to warn them.

"Don't go anywhere! Don't start a fight."

And she turned to me. I was rather surprised by this sudden attention.

"And you! Don't think we're done talking!"

And she finally left.

"I have absolutely no fucking idea what she's talking about..."

"Language." The Doctor's growls weakly.

I stuck my tongue out. You've seen how mature I am, I've always known it's one of my best qualities. Or defects, it depends on your point of view.

I got up to join the boys. And Rose came back as quickly as she had left.

"That was a real space ship?" Asked Rose.

"Yep!"

"So, it was all a pack of lies? What is it, then, that they're invading?"

"Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert." Mickey commented

"Especially if the invader spoils his ship," I smiled at him. "Because if the invasion fails, he may have trouble leaving again."

Mickey giggled with amusement, as did the Doctor. Rose stared at me, it was a little creepy.

"Good point!" Said the Doctor, mildly impressed. "So, what're they up to?"

Finding no answer on the screen, the Doctor understood that he had to mess with his TARDIS a little to get some information. He took off one of the grates he set aside and lay down in the hole, leaving his shoes on the surface.

Interested in what he was doing, I sat at his side, legs crossed over the iron grating. He alternated several wires and touched some buttons and stuff that looked like a computer motherboard. I put my head on my hand and continued to watch it. His hands were agile and fast, it was fascinating. The series didn't show this in as much detail, it's a shame.

After a few minutes, Mickey joined us, curious about what the Doctor was doing.

"What are you doing down there?"

"Rickey…" began the Doctor with his Sonic in his mouth.

"_Mickey."_

I quickly removed the sonic from his mouth so he could speak. Or should I say provoke. He thanked me for the action.

"Ricky, if I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?"

"I suppose not…"

"Well, Shut it, then."

Mickey sulked and went back to Rose's side. I heard him talking, but I didn't really care about what they said… On the other hand, what the Doctor was doing was more interesting.

Did I already tell you that I had a crush on the Doctor? No? Well, now it's done. I have a crush on Sherlock Holmes too, and Loki, and Newt Scamander. I Also have a crush on the actors: Christopher Eccleston (even if he is too old for me like Capaldi), David Tennant, Matt Smith, Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch... Anyway, I think you understand.

"So… What are you doing to the TARDIS? I know I won't understand half of what you're going to tell me, but I can try. I'm just curious."

The Time Lord looked at me and saw that I was really interested in what he was doing. He explained to me what he was doing, simplifying at some points, and I quickly understood the idea. I nodded with a smile and returned his screwdriver when he needed it to finish up. After that, he jumped back to the surface and exclaimed happily.

"Got it! Ha Ha! Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours, so it'll follow the flight of that spaceship. Here we go!"

He shook the screen. Because it's common knowledge that shaking or hitting what doesn't work will make it work better.

"Hold on…"

The screen finally shows what he wanted.

"See? Except hold on. See? the spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed."

"What does that mean?" Asked Rose.

"Means it came from Earth in the first place. It went up and came back down. Whoever those aliens are, they haven't just arrived. They've been here for a while. Question is, what have they been doing?"

"The fact that they used Andre as a puppet shows that they were on earth. You said earlier that it was a pig from Earth…" I intervened.

"And when did he say that?" Rose asked disdainfully.

"At Albion Hospital, when I examined Andre. The pig." Answered the Doctor, frowning at Rose's tone.

Speaking of Andre, he was still sitting on the ground, but he looked bad. I found myself at his side only to realize that his time was coming to an end. I gently stroked his head when he began to moan softly.

"He says he's glad to have met you and to have a name."

"And I'm happy to have saved you…" I whispered to him.

Andre closed his eyes slowly and his breath slowed until he finally disappeared. My throat tightened and my eyes stung. I then blinked to keep my tears from running. It wasn't the moment to cry.

_I swear that those who hurt you, will pay… I swear…_

I laid Andre on the floor and the Doctor covered him with a white sheet from nowhere. He then put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently to comfort me.

The doctor returned to the screen followed by Rose and Mickey. I sat in the seat thinking about everything that had happened. I got shot, Andre died and in a few moments, I will have the chance to go into Downing Street.

"UNIT! United Nations Intelligence Task Force, good people." Exclaimed the Doctor.

"How do you know them?" Asked Rose.

"'Cos he's worked for them. Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my back side for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you. You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name. Followed by a list of the dead."

"Why doesn't anybody look at the list of people he's saved instead?"

The Doctor turned his grateful look to me before turning his attention back to Mickey.

"That's nice. Good boy, Ricky."

"If you know them, why don't you go and help?"

"'Cause they wouldn't recognize him. He has changed a lot, and I mean literally."

"Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There's aliens out there and fake aliens. We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover… And, uh, better keep the TARDIS out of sight. Ricky! You've got a car, you can do some driving!"

We finally got to the door to go out. Having the aim of going to see the spaceship. But as soon as we go out, we were blinded by the searchlights of helicopters. And we were arrested, of course.

Quickly, we were surrounded by police cars and soldiers. All pointed their arms at us, and they prevented our escape. Except Mickey who manages to flee. Seeing their weapons, I clenched at the memory of earlier. I approached the Doctor until the notion of space no longer existed between us. To reassure me, he brought me closer by putting his arm around my waist.

The soldiers approached us, and we were ordered to put our hands up. To avoid any problems, we did what they ordered and we were driven to a police car. We got inside and it started immediately when the door was closed. I was between Rose and the Doctor.

"This is a bit posh. If I knew it was gonna be like this, being arrested, I would've have done it years ago."

"We're clearly being escorted," I said. "Arrests are a little more violent, especially if you're the criminal."

"Have you ever been arrested?" Asked the Doctor with a worried look.

"What? No!" I laughed. "But the TV shows show that they don't have a great regard for those who break the law."

"Ok, fine, not arrested but escorted," Rose carried on. "But escorted where?"

"Where'd you think? Downing Street!"

He laughs and Rose joins him.

"I don't understand. Downing Street, is where your prime minister is, right? Why are you so excited about visiting this place?"

"It's a once in a lifetime chance! Come on, you should be excited too!" She said, pushing me a little.

"Weeelll… I never really wanted to visit the Elysee, and it's not with Downing Street that I'm going to start wanting to. It's not really an experience you can put on a CV, right?" I laughed softly.

The Doctor chuckled and I heard Rose giggle too.

"Seriously," said Rose with a smile. "Downing Street? Why? How come?"

"I hate to say it, but Mickey was right. Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, uh, noticed."

"It's not like you're exactly quiet…" I mocked.

"Now they need you?"

"Like it said on the news, they're gathering experts in alien knowledge. And who's the biggest expert of the lot?" He asked with a grin of hope.

"The Illuminati?"

"Alvia…"

I laughed again and Rose frowned slightly.

"Patrick Moore?"

"Apart from him!" He exclaimed, offended.

I laughed harder. Oh, how easy he is to tease! It's a real mouthful of fresh air.

"Stop laughing Alvia! Oh, I'm telling you, Llyod George, he used to drink me up under the table. Who's the Prime Minister now?"

"How should I know? I missed a year. Ask Alvia instead."

"I only know four, three of them as historical figures. And technically two are in the future here. The last one, if I remember his name, is Tony Blair, but I'm not sure if it's the same here."

"So?"

"No idea," I replied with a shrug.

"You are useless." commented Rose.

"Oi! I'm French, remember? What am I supposed to do with English politics in my country? It's bad enough that my country hardly knows how to speak English, that we don't have the greatest government, and then the English's... and in addition it is 2006, I was 6 years old at the time!"

"By the way," remarked the Doctor. "Despite your accent, you speak quite good English. You don't even need help from the TARDIS."

"When you have good motivation, it's pretty easy. But you should have seen me when I was in middle school , I was terrible. It was only in the last year that I started to improve and when I came to high school, I was one of the top three in my class."

"What were your motivations?"

"Harry Potter, Monty Python, The Marvel Movies, Game of Thrones, the BBC's Sherlock series adaptation. Star Trek and his English competitor, I recited by watching the doctor on the last one. You know, that kind of motivation. And the English actors, don't forget the English actors."

The car finally stops in front of 10 Downing Street. Paparazzi and policemen were in front of the door. And by the hundreds. I saw the Doctor waving at people and Rose smiling nervously. As a matter of principle, I rolled my eyes and quickly reached the door that displayed the number 10, while avoiding showing my face to cameras. I always promoted anonymity, but here I had to make it my gospel. It's still a world where I don't exist.

We finally got inside the building, and a policeman showed us the way to a room full of people and who the alien experts were.

A man came quickly and called out to everyone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right. And can I remind you, ID cards are to be worn at all times." He said aloud before approaching us and giving a card to the Doctor and to my biggest surprise to me too.

"Why do I have one?"

"Are you Alvia?"

"Yeah but…"

"I received a call that you must be here too."

"Who told you that?" Rose asked, clearly unhappy that she couldn't enter too.

"American man, he said to be a captain, I couldn't remember his name considering the current situation, sorry."

"No need to be, I know who he is. Thank you."

An American man, and a captain? It's definitely Jack Harkness. But the question I ask myself is, why I had to attend his meeting? I certainly didn't want to be electrocuted to death.

"I'm sorry, your companion doesn't have clearance."

"I don't go anywhere without her."

"You're the code nine and a last minute recommendation, not her."

"She's staying with us." Insists the Doctor.

"I'm Sorry, Doctor… It is the Doctor, isn't it? She'll have to stay outside. Look, Even I don't have clearance to go in there, I can't let her in and that's a fact."

"It's alright, you go." She said to the Doctor, glancing at me.

A woman emerges from behind the secretary. Indra! I remember! And it's Harriet Jones!

"Excuse me? Are you the Doctor?"

Indra looked positively exasperated by her, at the same time I remember she was trying to get a project through, and she was a little nagging, it seems.

"Not now, we're busy. Can't you go home?"

The Doctor turned to Rose.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, they're the experts, you should hear what they've got to say."

"Don't get into any trouble."

The Doctor nodded and we followed the other experts into the room. The experts were all sitting in their places and there was only one chair left. The Doctor left me the chair and before I sat down, I grabbed his arm to bring him closer to me and whisper in his ear.

"Take off your card, it's a trap. We need to do the same with others"

The Doctor stared at me, frowning. I know that I clearly didn't respect the rules that were laid. But if I'm here, it's probably for a good reason. He slowly nodded his affirmation and removed his badge to put it on the table. I did the same with mine. I sat down and crossed my arms before nibbling the nail of my right thumb. I was nervous.

In front of us stood what was formerly General Asquith and Joseph Green.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, If I could have your attention, please. As you can see from the summaries in front of you, the ship had one porcine pilot…"

The Doctor cut into the general's speech.

"Of course, the really interesting bit happened three days ago, see? Filed away under every other business. The North Sea satellite detected a signal, a little blip of radiation at a hundred fathoms, like there's something down there." says the Doctor, starting to walk around. "You were just about to investigate, and the next thing you know, this happens. Spaceships, pigs, massive diversion, from what?"

The General and the Prime Minister had not taken their eyes off the Doctor since he had begun his speech. I could also imagine the gears turning in his head in search of an answer.

"If aliens fake an alien crash and an alien pilot, what do they get?" He said before pausing.

Our eyes met and I was able to answer his silent question by nodding slightly. His look became even more serious.

"Us. They get us."

"It's trap, Doctor. Not a diversion." I said finally drawing all eyes on me.

I could literally feel the pressure on my shoulders. An uncomfortable shiver ran up my spine and my skin was covered with goose bumps. My instincts and my own conscience told me to flee as quickly as possible. But it was out of the question. I didn't want to be a coward - but I didn't want to die either.

"This is all about us. Alien experts, the only people with the knowledge how to find them gathered together in one room."

A fart sound rang out. The doctor raised his eyebrows and stared at the prime minister with a sharp and offended look.

"Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?"

"Would you rather silent but deadly?"

The General and the Prime Minister sneered at each other. Asquith took off his cap and began to open the zipper on his forehead. Green started to laugh, and we could all see a light escape from the General's forehead. He finally opened his skull and removed his skin suit to reveal the hidden alien inside.

The Slitheen began to roar and the experts looked at him in shock.

"We are the Slitheen."

And while the other was starting to talk I screamed.

"Remove all your identity cards! NOW!"

Many did it quickly and threw them to the ground, but some frowned and didn't, and it was fatal to them. Green had pressed the button of his weapon and the cards unloaded a phenomenal amount of electricity, killing those who still wore them. The ones that were not worn shone and still reached the experts who were too close to their identity card.

The room was bathed in blue light and the Doctor looked for a map in the chaos and dying cries of adults. And all this under the laughter of Slitheen.

* * *

Here's the translation of the French sentences.

"Oh my **God**! It's ... it's ... bigger inside!"

"Or smaller from the outside ?!"

"I dream, it's a dream. Or drugged! I was drugged, I knew I shouldn't drink this morning's coffee, it was way too sweet! It's always the coffee ..."


	3. World War Three

hey everyone ! Here is the third chapter that I have written to you with joy. no seriously.

I forgot in the previous chapter to introduce my beta TheGuardianoftimeandspace.

She corrects all the mistakes I could make in English and that I didn't see.

Eh oui, l'erreur est humaine !

Anyway, enjoy your reading ! And thanks for following me and leaving reviews :D

* * *

After a moment of shock, the Doctor took, with considerable effort, an electric card in his hand. Of course, that caused him pain and after staggering towards the Slitheen he plunged it into the Alien's chest. He screamed in pain along with the other Slitheen.

"Deadly to humans, maybe."

The electricity went off for the bodies and I rushed to one of the experts who had removed the card. I checked for her pulse and sighed with relief when I felt one. I think it stunned those who didn't wear it. The Doctor ran out of the room and I had to follow him. The Slitheen were still screaming in pain.

The doctor came to the hallway by the entrance and found security in the reception room. I followed him closely, breathless.

"Oi, You want aliens, you've got them. They're inside Downing Street." He said, clapping his hands. "Come on!"

We made a U-turn followed by the guards. I groaned about the fact that I could have stayed close to the experts, only to remind myself that the aliens themselves were there too.

When we arrived, I could see that Green was helping Asquith refine his disguise before they noticed us and stopped.

"Where've you been?"

Security began to check the experts for signs of life.

"I called for help, I sounded the alarm. There was this lightning, a kind of er… um… electricity, and they all collapsed!"

"Some are still alive!" Remarked one of the guards. "They don't have their cards around their necks! The others are dead!"

"That's what I'm saying!" Growled the Prime Minister before pointing at us. "It's them, this girl and this man over there!"

"I think you will find the Prime Minister is an alien in disguise."

I face-palmed. That doesn't work on him and it won't work on Queen Elizabeth. The Doctor noted the ineffectiveness of his intervention.

"That's never going to work, is it?"

"Nope."

"Fair enough."

He took my hand and ran out of the room, I struggled to keep up with him, but luckily, he was holding my hand. Security followed us and quickly we were surrounded with our back to the elevator. He puts his hands in the air smiling as I quietly press the call button of the elevator.

"Under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorize you to execute this man and that girl!"

They ready their guns, but I could see that some were uncomfortable killing a girl as young as me. I think it's my size that gives the illusion of youth. I hate my size.

"Uh, well, now, yes… You see, uh, the thing is, If I was you, if I was going to execute someone by backing them against the wall, between you and me, little word of advice."

I heard the elevator 'ping' and the door opened behind us.

"Don't stand them against the lift!"

We walked backwards into the elevator and the Doctor quickly closed the door with his sonic screwdriver. He pressed on the first-floor button and the lift went up. I leant on the wall, trying to recover my strength.

We reached the first floor and the door opened on another Alien and I stiffened. The Doctor closed the door with the sonic.

"You know you could just hit the button like a normal person."

"Now, why would I do that when I have this!" He said, showing me his screwdriver.

We reached the second floor where we went out looking for stairs. We finally found them, and then we heard the sergeant downstairs barking his orders in the distance. We heard the 'ping' of the elevator and the Doctor pulled me back so that we could hide between the door and a lamp. He held me tight against his chest so that we wouldn't be spotted. I had to turn my head to the side otherwise I was going to suffocate in the Doctor's t-shirt. I couldn't help but inhale deeply and his smell invaded my nose. You know, breathing is useful for living.

He smelled of old leather and books. The typical smell of a person, a man, was indescribable but pleasant. And there was something else too. Something old and new at the same time, say I'm cliché, but... it may have been the smell of time itself.

The Slitheen passed by without noticing us as they were talking.

"We'll keep this floor quarantined as our last hunting ground before we set up the final phase."

The doctor bent his neck and waited, before we left quietly. We followed them noiselessly until we heard Rose scream. The doctor ran for a fire extinguisher and entered the room where the Slitheen, Rose and Harriet Jones were. He lit the fire extinguisher and hit one of the Slitheen in the face. It was not nice.

"Out! With me!"

Rose pulled the curtains so that they fell on the female Slitheen and ran behind the Doctor, next to me. Harriet joined us quickly too.

"Who the hell are you?" Asked the Doctor, looking at her.

"This isn't the time, Doctor!"

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North."

"Yes, we know who you are! Nice to meet you! Can we leave now?!"

"Don't be rude, Alvia."

He fired another shot and let go of the fire extinguisher. We left as fast as we could.

"We need to get to the cabinet rooms."

"The Emergency Protocols are in there, they give instructions for aliens!"

"Harriet Jones, I like you!"

"And I like you too."

We were still running when the Doctor stopped to open a door with his screwdriver. We arrived in the cabinet room and the Doctor grabbed a bottle of alcohol before pointing his screwdriver at it and standing in front of the main door where the three aliens were preparing to enter.

"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof! We all go up. So back off!"

The threat made the Slitheen hesitate.

"Right then, Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

"They're aliens." replied Harriet.

"No shit Sherlock."

"Yes, I got that, thanks. Alvia, language!"

I pouted.

"And who are you, if not human?"

"Who's not human?"

"He's not human." Rose replied.

"He's not human?"

"Can I have a bit of hush?"

"Sorry."

"So, what's the plan?"

"But he's got a Northern accent." Noted Harriet, looking at rose.

"Lot of planets have North." I answered quickly, getting a glare from Rose and the Doctor who was exasperated.

"I said hush!"

He raised the alcohol, threatening.

"Come on! You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government, what for? Invasion?"

"Why would we invade this God forsaken rock?"

"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here, what is it?"

"The Slitheen race?"

"Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer Day Slitheen at your service."

"So you're family?" guessed the Doctor.

"It's a family business."

"Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a '_God forsaken rock_'?"

"Ahhh… excuse me? You said your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability…?"

"Is that what I said?"

"You're making it up!"

"Well, I tried. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it." He said, passing the bottle behind him.

"Pass it to the left first."

"Sorry."

"Why left?" I asked, receiving the bottle. "Politeness?"

I didn't receive an answer. Instead, I sniffed the alcohol to see how it smelt and how strong the alcohol was. And it must have been pretty strong since it burned my nose a little bit. Woof! A good 40%, I think.

"Now we can end this hunt… with a magnificent slaughter"

"I think I detected an oxymoron in that sentence..."

One of the Slitheen bent their claws threateningly as the Doctor crossed his arms and Rose suggested that we run for our lives. The Slitheen advanced, threatening.

"Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mr. Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the cabinet room. If the cabinet is in session and in danger, these are about the four safest walls in the whole of Great Britain."

He pressed a hidden button near the door.

"End of lesson!"

And each entrance to the room is immediately blocked by thick metal shutters. The Doctor turned to us.

"Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in."

"And we'll never get out." I said with a smirk.

"Ah."

I laughed softly before heading to the middle seat of the meeting table. I got myself settled and thought about the fact that I was standing in the same place as the Master in the future. A feeling of uneasiness settled in my stomach. The Doctor noticed two bodies and his face showed a sadness that I hadn't seen before.

With the bottle in my possession and being in need of a drink, I sipped the alcohol slowly. The Doctor started moving the former prime minister who turned out to be Tony Blair. It was when he moved the other body that he finally asked for his name.

"What was his name?"

"Which one?"

"This one, the secretary or whatever he was called."

Harriet goes to look.

"I don't know. I talked to him, I brought him a cup of coffee, I never asked his name."

"Indra. That's his name." I said softly.

"How do you know?" Rose asked.

I had a weary smile while drinking my drink. I swirled the liquid slowly.

"_That's what I do. I drink and I know things."_

And I took a sip before the Doctor came over and removed my glass with an air of disapproval. I took it back when he turned his back on me. What? I'm just thirsty.

"What have we got? Any terminals? Anything?"

"Nope, this place is antique. What I don't get, is when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?"

"He's too slim," he replied scanning the door. "They're big old beasts, they need to fit inside big humans."

"But the Slitheen are about what… 8 feet? How do they squeeze inside?"

"That's the device around their necks. Compression field literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas, it's a big exchange."

"Wish I had a compression field, I could fit a size smaller."

"Excuse me, people are dead! This is not the time for making jokes." said the woman indignantly.

"Sorry." Said Rose, who wasn't very sorry. "You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him."

I frowned. It's true it was pretty rude, I remember loving her the first time I saw Doctor Who, and when I re-watch the show with a new eye and more advanced maturity, I realized that Rose was not perfect. The most telling moments about her were when she was jealous and full of useless anger, but also when she showed no empathy when the situation required it. I have an example if you want, the episode with the werewolf. That's all I have to say. Anyway. I don't like Rose now, and especially when she makes jokes when it's not time to make them.

"Well, that's a strange friendship"

I heard the doctor mutter as he scanned the walls with his sonic device.

"Harriet Jones, I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anything, are you?"

"Me? Hardly."

"Rings a bell. Harriet Jones."

"Lifelong back bencher I'm afraid, and fat lot of use I'm being now, the protocols are redundant, they list the people who can help and they're all dead downstairs."

"Some survived, thanks to Alvia," informed the Doctor. "Without her, they would all be dead, but for the moment they're unable to help us."

"Well, thank you young girl." she smiled at me warmly.

I blushed from the attention and thanks I was given and then I became interested in the protocols with phone numbers.

"Can I read the protocols?"

"What would you do with it?"

"I like reading, and then it's always useful when two people know protocols, you never know what can happen."

She nodded and gave them to me. I flew over the pages quickly, reading the names of the people to contact. All were part of UNIT. There was no mention of Torchwood. If I remember correctly, they're out of government and maybe that's why they're not listed on the protocols. I sighed mentally, that meant I couldn't ask for help from Captain Jack Harkness. Pity.

"Hasn't it got like, defence codes and things? Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at 'em?"

"Are you crazy? A nuclear bomb? Do you want to destroy the whole planet?" I exclaimed, shocked.

"You're a very violent young woman… your friend's right."

"She's not my friend. But I'm serious! We could!" She replies with a dark look.

"Yes, of course! Let's do it Rose!" I said with palpable sarcasm. "Destroy London and its surroundings and radiate land for centuries to come. Do you have any other bright ideas?"

The doctor stops scanning with his sonic to permanently remove the glass that I had in my hands and that I continued to drink. I may have been drunk.

"I think you've had enough drink for today, alcohol doesn't do you any good."

"Alcohol makes my thoughts free and honest and no one likes to hear honesty so freely - this is called hypocrisy." I breathed softly.

"Well, there is nothing like that in here. Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations." The woman informed us.

The doctor turned to her to listen more carefully.

"Say that again."

"What, about the codes?"

"Anything. All of it."

"Um, well… The British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a special resolution from the UN."

"Like that's every stopped them." commented Rose, mocking.

"Exactly!" Affirmed Harriet, gesturing. "Given our past record, and I voted against that, thank you very much. The codes have been taken out the government hands and given to the UN."

I looked at the Doctor to see that he was immersed in his thoughts, seeking clues.

"Is it important?"

"Everything's important."

"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted. Listen to me, I'm saying "Slitheen" As if it's normal."

"What do they want, though?" Asked Rose.

"Well, it's just one family so it's not an invasion. They don't want Slitheen world… They're out to make money, which means they want to use something here on Earth… Some kind of asset."

"Like what? Gold? Oil? Water?" Enumerated Harriet.

"Or Nuclear? I read somewhere that nuclear fusion would create a sun."

"You're very good at this you two." He compliments with a smile.

"Thank you." Harriet replied with a big smile.

She seemed happy to know that she could help.

"Harriet Jones, why do I know that name?"

A notification ring sounds suddenly. It was Rose's phone.

"Oh! That's me." She said taking her phone out of her pocket.

"But we're sealed off, how did you get a signal?"

"He zapped it! Super-phone!"

"We can phone for help, you must have contacts!"

"They're all downstairs, I know another one that would help us willingly, but I don't have his number, sorry." I informed her.

It took me almost a year to get ready and I didn't even think of going to Cardiff to meet Captain Jack. Oh, what an ass am I.

"It's Mickey." The blonde tells us.

"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy." The Doctor complained.

"Really?" I asked confused, under the effects of alcohol.

"Well, maybe not Alvia, given her condition."

"Oi! I'm drunk not deaf!"

"Yeah, he's not so stupid after all." Ignored Rose, passing her phone to the Doctor.

The phone she had was probably a Nokia 3310 from the shape of it, but since I was having trouble fixing my eyes on anything, and I don't know much about retro technology, I'll just say it's a phone that can call and send sms. Rose decided to call Mickey. As for me, I yawned with fatigue. All this running is clearly not for me - the day was long, and I had drunk alcohol without eating, so I was exhausted.

I shifted on the chair before removing my glasses and crossing my arms on the table, placing my head on them. I closed my eyes and tried to take advantage of the little heat my arms provided. I had left my jacket at Jackie's and my sweatshirt was too thin to keep warm. The room was not completely heated and then the metal insulation had cooled the room a lot. While my eyes were closed, I felt even more tired and surprised myself by dozing and waking up when I heard Jackie's voice through the speaker.

"Well, I've got a question if you don't mind. Because since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"I told you what happened." Rose sighed.

"I'm talking to him," reprimanded her mother. "'Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. And maybe you get off on it. And maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer this, is my daughter safe? And I saw that you had Alvia with you, is she safe too?"

"Jackie," I said in an astonished breath. "You don't need to be concerned about me."

"Of course I do! You're like my second daughter!"

My throat knotted at her words, I never knew she felt like that towards me. I feel like the worst creature that exists, I only consider her as the woman who had accommodated me since she found me, even if we get along rather well. It's horrible for me to know that she sees me as her daughter when I don't consider her as a person from my own family.

"Are they safe, Doctor? Will they always be safe? Can you promise me that?"

The doctor looked up at Rose who looked at him, then he looked at me. His eyes told me of all his distress and sadness.

"He can't Jackie, no one in the whole universe can make that promise. Anything can happen, anything is possible. Look at me, I lost everything in a second and yet I was still safe!" I replied, continuing to look into the Doctor's eyes

At my words, a pleasant warmth filled the Doctor's chest. And I had the fleeting impression of tears in the Doctor's eyes. He didn't expect someone to defend him. This was the reason why this regeneration was my favourite. He was a man who found himself alone and needed companionship, joy and light to carry on in life. Because he needed someone to show him what it meant to be The Doctor again.

"We're in." Mickey said.

The doctor approached the table with long strides, telling Mickey what to do.

"Right then, on the left, there's a tab, an icon, little concentric circles. Click on that."

There was a kind of signal that repeated over and over again.

"What is it?"

"The Slitheen have got a space ship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal, now hush, let me work out what it's saying."

"He'll have to answer me one day." Intervened Jackie.

Mickey was heard saying 'hush' to Jackie.

"It's some sort of message."

"What's it say?"

"Don't know, it's on a loop, keeps repeating."

A doorbell was heard and the Doctor asked for silence.

"That's not me, Jackie go and see who that is"

"It's three o'clock in the morning!"

"Well go and tell them that."

"Jackie!" I shout. "Don't go!"

"Too late, she's already gone, why she shouldn't go?"

We heard Jackie come back quickly and tell us that the Alien was there.

"That's the reason!"

"Mickey, I need that signal."

"Never mind the signal," exclaimed Rose. "Mum just get out, get out! Get out!"

"We can't, it's by the front door," Mickey told us. "Oh, my god, it's unmasking. It's gonna kill us!"

I put on my glasses and got up from the chair to walk around the table. I bit my thumbnail as I pondered whether I should let the script unfold as it should, or whether I should intervene.

"There's got to be some way of stopping them! You're supposed to be the experts, think of something!"

We hear the Slitheen making disturbing noises and then the crash of a door breaking.

"That's my mother." Rose pleaded.

And it was a slap in the face for me, this was the woman who had taken me in and sheltered me without asking for anything in return. It was my duty to return the favour.

So I slammed my hands on the table, attracting attention.

"Ok… let's do something, Jackie go to the kitchen and look for anything that could be vinegar. It seems to me that it's in a cupboard, but I don't know which one. Rose?"

"Cupboard by the sink, middle shelf." she said quickly.

"Alvia, what are you doing?" Asked the Doctor

"Saving time. Jackie?"

"I heard!"

There was a the noise of a cupboard opening and Jackie began to recite what she was taking out of it.

"Gherkins! Pickled onions! Picked eggs!"

"You kiss that man?" The Doctors face screwed up in disgust.

"Shut up! Jackie as soon as the Slitheen comes in, you have to throw vinegar on him. And hide when it's done, alright?"

I received no response except for the sound of the door which was finally destroyed. We all heard the alien groan, a wet sound, a slamming door, a fart sound and an explosion.

"Vinegar?" The Doctor finally asked.

"They're from Raxacoricofallapatorius."

"Raxa… what?"

"Of course! Creatures made out of living calcium, but how did you know? No, actually, I know."

"Spoilers!" I laughed, winking at him.

"Is my mum safe?"

"Yes, but at the cost of a life."

"He was going to kill my mother."

"It's always murder. Kill a killer and the number of killers in the world remains unchanged." I told her softly.

We all had a drink and toasted before drinking. Except the Doctor who spat it in his glass discreetly after making a face. I laughed at him.

A few minutes later Mickey asked us on the phone to listen to what the TV had to say.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads, and they have found massive weapons of destruction, capable of being deployed within 45 seconds."

We came together to listen to the Slitheen / Prime Minister's speech.

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes! A nuclear strike at the heart of the ship is our only chance of survival. Because… from this moment on… it is my solemn duty to inform you… planet Earth is at war."

"He's making up." The Doctor said, stepping back. "There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it!"

"Yes, but others don't know that and are more likely to believe anything than to be rational." I said.

"That's why the Slitheen went for a spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out."

"They release the defence code…" Rose guessed.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear."

"But why?" Harriet asked.

The Doctor turned around and opened the metal shutters. In front of us were three Slitheen, who jumped at the door opening.

"You get the codes, release the missiles. But not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth, they retaliate, fight back. World War three, whole planet gets nuked."

Margaret Slitheen, still in her skin suit, approached and stood before the Doctor.

"And we can sit through it in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed. Just parked. Barely two minutes away."

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?"

"Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space, an advert."

"Sale of century," Margaret praised sadistically. "We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it. Piece by piece. Radioactive chucks of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."

"At the cost of 5 billion lives."

"Bargain." she said, shrugging, indifferent.

"Then I give you a choice: leave this planet or I'll stop you."

The Slitheen burst out laughing, openly mocking us. They didn't take us seriously.

"What? You? Trapped in your box?"

"Yes. Me." He said, staring at her seriously.

Margaret laughed again. But her laughter became nervous when the Doctor continued to fix her with his stare. He closed the shutters and I just had time to see her smile disappear.

A yawn of fatigue escaped my lips. Fatigue had invaded my body. I looked at the time on my watch before noticing that I hadn't wound it up today. The hands showed 7:36 and about 30 seconds. I blinked before removing my glasses and rubbing my face with the palm of my hand. I went to the chair and sat down. For a good ten minutes I fought the urge to succumb to sleep, but the Doctor approached me and left his leather jacket on my shoulders. I watched him, surprised by the gesture. Without wanting to make a joke worthy of Tumblr posts, he looked naked without his jacket.

"Sleep a bit, you seem to be able to sleep on the spot. Take the opportunity."

I thanked him by nodding my head and wrapped myself in his jacket that smelled of leather and his smell. It was still warm, and I quickly reached the arms of Morpheus.

When I woke up, I felt better, and I didn't have a hangover. I saw that Rose and Harriet were sitting in deep sleep too. The only person who didn't sleep was the Doctor. He was pacing. I got up and I was a little grumpy when I felt my neck and spine crack and snap. I always thought people were exaggerating when they said sitting down whilst sleeping wasn't good, but now I have proof.

My grunt attracted the attention of the Doctor and I took the opportunity to return his jacket that he put back on immediately.

"How long did I sleep?" I asked softly so as to not wake the girls.

"About seven o'clock, its morning outside."

"How do you know?"

"Your series didn't show it? Time Lord senses, I can always feel how time passes."

"How does it feel?" I asked, curious.

"It's like ... there's a song in a language that only you can understand... that makes you understand the time." He said calmly, his eyes blank. "And according to the song, you understand the seconds, the minutes, the hours, the different paradoxes, the fixed points. The end and the beginning of everything."

"All that is. All that was. And all that ever could be..." I recited, remembering Bad Wolf.

"Exactly."

"It must be hard sometimes, right? I can't imagine having that power, no offence. It must drive you mad."

"Sometimes it's harder than usual, but I've had over 900 years to get used to it..." He concluded with a shrug.

I gave him a soft smile, I really thought what I said. If I had this capacity, after a few hours I would be mad. I am sure of it.

My belly groaned and I immediately blushed in embarrassment. The doctor laughed and woke Rose and Harriet a few minutes later.

"What I would do for a little food... We don't even have anything to drink, and alcohol doesn't count. Empty stomach, alcohol would do us more harm than good."

Rose's phone rang suddenly, and she picked it up so we could hear Jackie chat with Rose about her health and the current situation outside.

"Alright, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do."

Harriet held up the alcohol.

"If we ferment the port, we could make ascetic acid."

"We don't have enough time to do it," Rose said. "Mickey, any luck?

"There's loads of emergency numbers but they're all on voicemail."

I looked at the doctor to see that he had rested against the wall, away from everyone and he was deep in thought.

"Voicemail dooms us all." The woman complained.

"If we could just get out of here…"

"There's a way out."

Rose turned to him incredulously.

"There's always been a way out."

"Then why don't we use it?"

He went to the table to talk to Jackie through the phone.

"Because I can't guarantee the safety of Alvia and Rose."

"Don't you dare! Whatever it is, don't you dare!" Shouted the mother.

"That's the thing, if I don't dare, everyone dies."

"Do it." Rose said simply.

"You don't even know what it is, you'd just let me?"

"Yeah."

He stares at her, eyes wide open. Curious about how she could think like that.

"Please, Doctor. Please! They're just kids!"

"You think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart. It's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

"There is no decision to make, Doctor. Between the world and us the choice doesn't exist. We have no right to be selfish, sometimes we have to sacrifice something for a cause that we think is right. You know that better than anyone." I said softly, looking at him, his eyes full of compassion and understanding.

"I could save the world but lose you two." he said.

He looked at Rose and then looked for me and our silent exchange lasted a long time. His blue eyes showed all his hesitation, his sadness and his fear of being alone again, if he were to lose us.

"Except it's not your decision, Doctor." Harriet Jones suddenly intervened. "It's mine."

"And who the hell are you?" Jackie asked angrily.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people, for the people and on behalf of the people I command you. Do it."

The Doctor displays a big smile and he leans over to pull the red briefcase from the protocols and open it. He searched the papers for something specific.

"So, how do we get out?" Asks Rose, sitting down on the table.

"We don't." He answered before turning to the phone. "Mickey, use the buffalo password, it overrides everything."

"What're you doing?" Jackie asked.

"Hacking into the Royal Navy… We're in. Here it is, H.M.S Taurean, Trafalgar Class Submarine, 10 miles off the coast of Plymouth."

"Right, we need to select a missile."

"We can't go nuclear, we don't have the defence codes".

"We don't need it, all we need is an ordinary missile. What's the first category?"

"Sub Harpoon, UGMA4A."

"That's the one. Select. Ready for this?"

"Yeah."

"Mickey the Idiot, the World is in your hands. Fire."

The only indication that Mickey had done what he had been asked to do was Jackie's whispered, "My God." We didn't move for a few seconds until Harriet moved to ask about the soundness of the walls. Knowing that they were not strong enough, Rose went to the closet and spoke of earthquakes and the solidity of the cupboard. Harriet quickly joined the blonde in removing all the stuff, and I grabbed the Doctor's hand to make him move. We helped the girls remove all the material quickly and we moved the bodies too.

"It's on radar. Counter defence 556." Mickey suddenly spoke.

"Intercept it."

"I'm doing it now. 556 neutralized."

The Doctor is in the closet, and we're all hugging and holding each other's hands. Silence settled over us until we finally heard the sound of explosions. At that moment everything went topsy turvy. We were violently shaken in every way. I banged badly on my back against something and I think I swore in French but I'm not totally sure. Then, swinging again like a ragdoll, I arrived on a hard and hot surface. It was when I felt two hearts beat that I guessed I had landed on the Doctor. He tried to tap his chest to find out what had hit him but he tapped my back, grunted in pain and he apologized grunting too. I think I will have bruises on my back soon.

We went out to see the destroyed place, in smoke. Harriet made a remark about the English manufacture of the closet and I snorted with amusement. A security guard approached and asked if we were ok. Harriet showed her his identity card.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately, tell the ambassadors the crisis is now over, and they can step down. Go on, tell the news!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh lord! We haven't even got a Prime Minister!"

"Maybe you should have a go." The Doctor proposed.

"Me?" She says, laughing. "I'm only a back-bencher."

"I'd vote for ya," said Rose.

"Oh now, don't be silly."

We grin. I stretched out to get the pain To go away but nothing works, maybe a good shower will do the trick. Oh, I would kill for a hot shower, and some food.

"Look, I'd better go and see if I can help." she tells us as a goodbye.

She climbed over the rubble towards the crowd of people and ran to the police with her arms in the air and shouting the news.

We walked towards the house, we had no reason to hurry. When we arrived at the Estates we separated. Rose and I went back to the apartment where Jackie was waiting anxiously and the Doctor went to his Tardis. As soon as the door of the apartment was opened, Rose ran into her mother's arms but let the door close. I shrugged in pain and went to get have a shower and change clothes. As I passed the mirror in the bathroom, I looked at my shoulder and saw that the scar was almost invisible to those who weren't looking for it, but it wasn't great either.

As the hot water ran down my hair and my body, I took advantage of the feeling. I spent more time than usual underwater, at least a good hour.

I got dressed in new underwear, black pants that stopped a little above my ankles, my red converse and this time a light long-sleeved t-shirt with a short-sleeved charcoal t-shirt over it, that had horizontal coloured lines. Yes, it was clearly an outfit inspired by the Thirteenth, but apart from me, who would know?

I put my clothes with the dirty ones and put my phone in the left front pocket of my trousers. I was lucky with them, as the pockets were rather large and even if I put my phone inside, it doesn't bother me when I walk or when I sit.

I cooked a sandwich with grilled ham, fried egg, melted cheese and ketchup on toasted slices and prepared black tea with two sugars. When I had everything ready to eat, I was no longer hungry. I looked quietly into the living room to see Jackie and her daughter chatting quietly in front of the TV where Harriet was making a big speech.

I heard Rose's phone ring and Jackie came into the kitchen to get ready to cook. I had my cup of tea in my hand, and even though it had cooled a bit it didn't stop me from drinking it.

"So, what do you think of my daughter?" She asked suddenly.

I almost choked on my tea.

"Is that a trick question?"

"Don't be stupid, be honest!"

"You asked for it. I think we could have gotten along if I had not had my accident and was not therefore staying in her home. But we are just culturally different."

"What do you mean?"

"Jackie, I told you everything about me, even about the time I come from. There are a lot of things she has not lived and that are in the future, part of my past and my culture. And then we've had different lives too."

"What kinds of things?"

"Spoilers."

"Anyway, I don't think it's possible any more, she seems to have taken a dislike to me even though I haven't done anything. Sorry Jackie but we won't be friends."

Jackie sighed in understanding and accepted it reluctantly. I finished my tea and then went back to my room to read a little. I took 'The Galactic Traveler's Guide' and started reading it for the umpteenth time lying on the bed. I arrived at the end of Chapter 3 when Rose arrived in her/my room.

"What are you doing here?" She growled.

"Your mother has lent me your room since you disappeared, your clothes are on the left side of the closet."

"Good." she spat. "Pack your stuff too, the Doctor wants you to come for some reason, I don't see what he sees in you. I saved his life! What did you do, huh?!"

She really doesn't want me to be around her family and the Doctor... Maybe I should scare her a little, make her understand that she's just a human like I am... But I'm that much of a bitch to do it. I always had to ignore the superficial girls of my time in high school who were trying to humiliate me and find a way to create problems for me when their attention was on me. Which wasn't often. It's not Rose who will succeed.

So, I rolled my eyes and shrugged before returning to my books, ignoring the order to pack my bag and respond to the provocation. But she didn't stop there because she picked up my book and threw it somewhere in the room before folding her arms and looking at me haughtily.

"I'm waiting."

Ok, she really wanted it. I don't really think about what I'm going to say but I want her to leave me alone.

"You think you're so important, don't you?" I laughed darkly. "Why do you think he wants me to come? I know everything about him, Rose, everything. Where he comes from, what he's going through, what he's going to live and how he's going to die."

"That's impossible." she denied.

"And how would you know, mmm? Time Travel, it seems to me that you've experienced it, right? Not as much as the Doctor, of course."

"You come from his future."

"It's up to me to know something and to you, to know what you ignore…"

She pulled back sharply as if I had slapped her. She was about to do or say something when Jackie arrived with two cups in her hands. One for her and one for Rose. Rose returned to her previous activity, which is, putting her clothes in a bag.

"I was wondering whether he drinks or not."

"He doesn't." I answered before Rose could.

Rose glared at me, which I easily ignored, and her mother didn't see. Jackie looked at her daughter, pleading to her not to leave. The only answer she got from her daughter was silence.

"Jackie... I have to go to ..."

"Not you too. Please don't go."

I hugged Jackie.

"Unlike Rose, I don't have a choice. But that doesn't mean I won't be coming back, Jackie. You are the one who accepted me under his roof and who gave me a house when I didn't have one any more. You're important to me and that's the only reason I would consider here as my new home." I whispered in her ear.

I stepped back to smile tenderly before turning around and grabbing under the bed a backpack that I had bought this year to get rid of my suitcase. I put in clothes and my leather jacket into by back (that I folded unlike Rose who threw them into a ball).

Rose put some trinkets and a picture into her bag. I put some books and a blank sketchbook and my pencil case. I had to wait five minutes before Rose left the room with her bag almost finished, so I could put my computer, chargers and headphones in. I also put the little makeup I had, some jewels I had from my old world and my TARDIS wallet that contained my old and new identity papers.

I had managed to get help from Jackie and Jack without my noticing that I had a visa, a bank account, an identity card with English and French nationality and a passport. Why Jack's help? Because when I asked to create a bank account, I was pleasantly surprised to know that I already had one in my name and that it was created by a certain Jack Harkness. He also helped me create a birth certificate and proof of residence saying that it was at least 5 years since I lived in England. For the creation of an identity card it was simple, I just had to say that I had lost mine and I had to fill a declaration of loss of identity and the identity sheet.

When I meet young or old Jack, I'll give him a huge hug. It seems out of character for me, but I have every reason to thank him. I had thought that it would be impossible to exist in this world, but I was wrong. I had help from someone who cared about me.

I took my long beige coat that looks like the tenth doctors to put it on. I was extremely grateful when I found it at Emmaus, you know. I then took my bag on my right shoulder despite its weight and left the apartment.

Night had fallen and everyone was in front of the Tardis. I felt like I was late. I saw Rose throwing her bag into the Doctor's arms and in a few seconds, I finally joined everyone.

"You still can't promise me." Jackie said to the Doctor. "What if they get lost? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and they're left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away. How long do I wait then?"

The doctor is holding the pink bag, having no real answer for Jackie. But Rose came to his aid reassuring her mother. She gave her a hug. The Doctor entered the TARDIS and Rose followed in turn. I turned to Jackie.

"It may be a time machine but given her driver I don't really expect to be back on time," I joked making her smile. "Even after time has passed, we will always come back."

I shook hands with them and went back to the Tardis, which dematerialized immediately. The Doctor told us to look for our rooms in the hallway down below and to drop our things in them quickly so we could join him. We had a plasma storm in the horse head nebula to see.


	4. Dalek

hey everyone! New chapter, a big one !

What's funny about this episode is that I love it, but writing it has been a bit of an ordeal. But taking on me, I continued, without giving up and here it is!

On another subject, which has nothing to do with this story. I saw Episode 3 of Season 8 of Game of Thrones. No spoil for those who have not seen it yet (but what are you waiting for ?!), but it was so intense.

Another note, I still haven't seen Endgame. My father is waiting for the rooms to empty a bit, despite the fact that I'm groaning and my mother too. (and unfortunately I don't have enough money to go see him alone in 4DX )

Anyway, enjoy your reading and see you newt time !

* * *

The Doctor didn't lie to us. The plasma storm in the horse head nebula was so beautiful that I can't even describe it. The nebula was in itself beautiful too. Superimposed on the deep blackness of the emptiness of space was the immense, imposing, and small object.

While I was at the doors of the TARDIS, open to space, my eyes were impressed by the beauty that I would never have seen besides in photographs and documentaries.

The pink, red cherry colour blended perfectly with the deep bluish black of space and blended in some places to give birth to a purple colour that Kilgrave would certainly have appreciated. The nebula was of course dotted with white stars of varying sizes and distance.

As I was enjoying the view, a signal rang out in the Tardis and my attention turned to the console where the Doctor was leaning over the computer screen. Rose was showering.

"Shut the doors Alvia, we're going somewhere."

"What's going on?" I asked as I reluctantly closed the doors.

Rose suddenly arrived in the room and the Doctor led the Tardis to an unknown destination. It was when I finally heard the Tardis' wheezing that I headed for my long coat to put it on. We went out only for Rose to immediately begin asking questions.

"So, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Don't Know, some kind of signal drawing the TARDIS off course…"

"Where are we?"

"Earth, Utah, North America. About half a mile underground"

At the Doctor's words I froze on the spot. There are only two times that the Doctor finds himself in Utah and once in this regeneration. I thought I had a little more time before facing a Dalek.

"And… when are we?"

"2012," I answered before the Doctor. "Besides if we could turn around, I would not argue."

"Why would we do that?" He asks with a frown.

"Because you will not like what you find here."

"What's here?" Asks Rose, confused.

"The stuff of nightmares. The worst thing ever, you really don't want to be here, Doctor."

I tried, but I failed to convince him.

"It can't be that bad," he said sceptically.

He suddenly turned on the light and they could see it was a kind of museum.

"Blimey! It's a great big museum!"

"An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby. They must've spent a fortune on this."

They moved to observe what was behind glass. I raised my arms angrily, muttering my sudden understanding of Ten's frustration at not being listened to.

"It's a Slitheen's arm! It's been stuffed, oh my god!"

The Doctor noticed the cyberman head. I looked at the suspicious head, although I knew this thing couldn't hurt anyone anymore.

"Oh! Look at you!"

"What is it?"

"An old friend of mine… well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old."

"Is that where the signal's coming from? Alvia had said that..."

"Nah, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help."

Rose suddenly turned to me.

"And you wanted us to let someone call for help go unheard?" She said venomously. "You're a horrible girl. "

I stared darkly at Rose, not trying to find an excuse. Suddenly, in my peripheral vision I noticed the Doctor's arm touching the glass. A loud alarm sounded, and not even a minute later, we were surrounded by about twenty soldiers pointing their guns at us. Again.

"If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A." said Rose.

"Nice Rose! Why don't you shout it out, while you're here?" I hissed quickly.

"I have no comments to make to you!"

The doctor whispered to us to shut up and smiled at the soldiers, as if our argument hadn't taken place. But the soldiers didn't care, because they took us all in pairs, holding our shoulders firmly, painfully actually. Rose began to moan a little pathetically, trying to be released and the Doctor frowned.

As the soldiers took us to Van Statten's office, I began to think about the events of the future. Either I went with the Doctor and meet the Dalek quickly and I'm in shit. Or I stay with Rose and I go to see what was apparently flirting with Adam. You know one of the characters we don't talk about. Like the episode with Clom's Alien. Yes, that one. Besides, I don't even remember what he's talking about, just that between Whovians we don't talk about it. It's like Jar Jar Binks, we know it exists, unfortunately, and we prefer to forget it. Anyway, if I'm with Rose, she will show compassion to the Dalek and it will escape and kill. In any case, I'll have to run.

Honestly, I don't know what the worst situation for me is. I hate running and I don't know how to run. The 1500 meters in sport? I spit my lungs on the ground from the first turn, so run for my life when I have a Dalek on my ass? Daleks kill with a laser beam worthy of an Avada Kedavra, meh… let me do my testament right away and my epitaph too. I'm going to have to face the Dalek and I'm not sure I'm going to come out alive... maybe my story will end today.

It's sad, because my parents will never know what happened to me, I'll never see Avengers Endgame, nor the end of Game of Thrones.

We finally arrived to see the stupidest character of this episode ask the nature of the object he held in his hands. The musical instrument. Just to make fun of them I would tell them that it's a sex toy or a weapon that activates in the most ridiculous ways.

But as I don't have the courage to do it, and because the Doctor does his job well, which is to belittle people more stupid and arrogant than him, I could enjoy the show in front of me.

"I really wouldn't hold it like that."

"Shut it!" Snapped the red-haired woman with curly hair.

What was she called? I've always had trouble with the name. It was a name that began with a G...

"Really, though, that's wrong."

"Is it dangerous?"

"No. Just looks silly."

The doctor wanted to move forward to take the object and the guards engaged their weapons before being stopped by their boss, who made a gesture of the fingers. Van Statten stood up to pass it to the doctor who took it gently.

"You just need to be… delicate…" he said, gently passing his fingers over the musical artefact.

The sound that came out reminded me of that of the harmonica, but purer, more crystalline. I wonder what planet it comes from. I made a mental note to ask him later. Imagine if the concerts were as beautiful as this melody, like the Elven songs of the Lord of the Rings.

As he continued to play, everyone looked impressed except the woman who was still playing her best poker face.

"It's a musical instrument"

Thank you Captain Obvious.

"And it's a long way from home."

The American stood up and took the artefact from the Doctor's hands. The doctor raised his eyebrows, not impressed.

"I did say delicate. Reacts to the smallest fingerprint." Van Statten played the instrument and his first notes were catastrophic. To me, someone who enjoys good music, it was like listening to someone who is playing the violin for the first time. Horrible for the ears. But after a few notes, the instrument released acceptable notes. The doctor smiles.

"Very good. Quite the expert."

"As are you."

In a second, he threw the musical instrument aside as I would throw a used tissue in a garbage can: without any consideration. Shame on him.

"Who exactly are you?"

The Doctor's expression suddenly became serious.

"I'm the Doctor. And you are?"

"Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world and you just stumbled in by mistake."

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah."

"The story of his life..." I whispered quietly to myself. "Could even be the title of his biography along with 'Doctor Who'."

Van Statten moved to stand in front to the Doctor.

"The question is, how did you get in?"

_How did we get in? in-tru-da window! Oh, good old Ten._

"53 floors down. With your little cat and fox burglar accomplices." he said, looking at Rose and me, with an appreciative air. "Quite a collector yourself, they're rather pretty, although I have a preference for redheads."

"The redhead says fuck you!" I hissed. Asshole…

"Oh, she's fiery, I like her even more." He said pointing at me. "Maybe I should keep you too?"

"Oi! Leave her alone, pervert!" Intervened Rose with a disgusted air.

Glad to know that there is, between us, a girl solidarity against harassment. Fortunately, she intervened, I think I would have tried to hit that jerk. And considering my size the punch would not have succeeded and my only chance was to hit the crotch with a good shot of knee or shin well placed. And still, not sure of being able to reach him without being thrown to the ground by his armed guards. Meh, too bad.

"She's English too!" He exclaims before turning to the youngest. "Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy, got you a girlfriend."

"This is Mr. Henry Van Statten."

"And who's he when he's at home?" Asked Rose.

"Mr Van Statten owns the Internet."

"She asked who he was, not what he has. And nobody owns the internet, they would have to control all the DNS and would have to be in possession of 7 keys which are in the care of 14 people. I strongly doubt that he has one."

Van Statten glared at me, and Adam's mouth was open. Not so smart huh? I heard an amused snort from the Doctor, and I could not stop the sneer of victory on my lips as I placed hands in the front pockets of my pants.

"So you're an expert on just about everything except for your collection. Anything you don't understand, you lock up."

"And you claim greater knowledge?"

"I don't need to make claims; I know how good I am."

"And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?

"You tell me."

"The Cage contains my one living specimen."

Who would be much better off dead, if you want my opinion.

"And what's that?"

"Like you don't know."

"Show me."

"You wanna see it?"

The two men were staring at each other like dogs trying to dominate each other. Which was a bit the situation.

"You don't want to measure it, as long as you're there? God, it looks like a parody of fighting on manhood."

"We can smell the testosterone." mocks Rose.

"Goddard! Inform the Cage. We're heading down."

The woman nodded before heading to the elevator.

"You, English! Look after the blond. Canoodle or spoon, or whatever it is you British do. And foxy and Doctor with no name. Come and see my pet."

No. absolutely not. No. Nope. Niet. Nein. No, god please no. No way do I want to see the Dalek. I'd rather die right now. And you, Doctor! Traitor, let go of my shoulder! I don't want to go… NOOOOO! Let me go back to the TARDIS pleaaase!

I was pushed in the elevator anyway. Without my explicit consent.

"I do not want to go." I growled softly.

The Doctor pushed his elbow into my ribs to silence me. I raised my head to glare at him. And he laughed, bâtard.

"You're not as talkative as before, little fox. Maybe I could make you talk if you let me. "

Wait... is he...? Really?! Eurk no!

"Va te faire foutre!"

"Alvia, Language!"

"Protect my virtue instead of correcting my language, it's out of the question that I stay more than a second with this narcissistic pervert!" I snapped, pointing at him sharply.

Van Statten burst out laughing, as if what I said was just a joke in his eyes. Suddenly the door opened, and I don't know if I should be happy to have space between him and me, or terrified that I'm going to be seeing a Dalek.

"We've tried everything. The creature has… shielded itself but there's definite signs of life inside." He informs us by pressing the buttons on the wall.

"Inside? Inside what?"

The metal door opened and a man came out. Completely dressed in orange. The man took off his mask and welcomed his boss. His wicked look didn't come back to me. A real air of sadism, worse than the Master.

"Welcome back, sir. I've had to take the power down, the metaltron is resting."

"Metaltron?"

"Thought of it myself. Good, isn't it? Although I'd much to prefer to find out its real name."

"Don't worry," I hissed softly without being heard. "You will quickly know it."

The orange man took off his gloves and offered them to the Doctor, saying that the last one who had touched him had caught fire. The doctor refused with his usual nerve.

"I won't touch it then."

I sniffed and I think I saw a guard and the woman have an amused grin.

"Go ahead. Impress me."

The Doctor took my hand and pulled me with him inside the cage. The cage closed behind us. I'm scared. A blue light came from the other side and my heart skipped a beat. I felt my breath speed up and I pushed back as far as possible from the Dalek. On the way my back hit a table which held objects of torture. I gripped the corner of the table and whistled the sharp pain that suddenly appeared in my hand before quickly disappearing. And in a few steps, I reached the cold concrete wall.

"Look, I'm sorry about all of this. Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor."

"DOC…TOR…?"

I inhaled suddenly and my body froze immediately. It was the same voice used in the series.

"_THE_ – DOCTOR?"

I saw the Doctor's eyes wide with horror, his mouth open. The lights came on suddenly, letting us see the Dalek in bad shape, chained.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINAAATE!"

The Doctor ran to the door and hit it, making it vibrate, pleading to open the door.

"Let me out!"

"YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF THE DA–LEKS! YOU MUST BE DESTRO–YED!"

He waved his weapon to kill us. His famous weapon that kills in one fell swoop, like the spell of death. But it did not work, he waved it in the air. The Doctor immediately stopped looking terrified and his face split into a huge smile.

"It's not working!" He said before laughing with relief.

His laughter seemed so false in my ears. He seemed manic.

The Dalek lowered his eyepiece to observe his useless weapon for a moment.

"Fantastic!" The Doctor gleefully laughed. "Oh, fantastic! Powerless! Look at you. The Great Space Dustbin. How does it feel?"

He rushed to the Dalek, looking it straight in the eye. I remained with my back against the wall. Trying to make myself invisible. I grabbed the inside of my long coat and squeezed it firmly in my fists. So hard that my knuckles pulled a little and turned white. I swallowed at the scene in front of me. I had neither the courage nor the desire to intervene between these two. And yet I dreamed of running away with the Doctor, far from the Dalek, leaving it to its fate.

The Dalek backed away, ordering the Doctor to stay away from it. It was also struggling against its chains. The Doctor was now a few inches from the metal nightmare.

"What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill… Then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you?"

He circled the Dalek, and it followed him with its eyepiece.

"You're nothing. What the hell are you here for?"

"I AM WAITING FOR OR–DERS."

"What does that mean?" Asked the Doctor darkly.

"He's a soldier."

Both turned to me. Honestly the words escaped from my mouth. The Dalek knew that I was with the doctor. It was useless to stay in hiding without doing anything now. So, I swallowed before joining in the conversation despite myself.

"He was raised to receive orders."

"YOU KNOW MY SPE–CIES? BUT YOU ARE ONLY HU–MAN."

"Anyway, you won't get orders anymore. Never again."

"I DEM–AND OR–DERS!"

"Your race is dead!" The Doctor suddenly shouted. "You all burnt, all of you. A million ships on fire, the entire Dalek race wiped out in one second."

"YOU LI–E!"

"I watched it happen. I MADE it happen!"

"YOU DESTROYED U–S?"

The Doctor's shoulders slumped as if the weight of the universe on his shoulders had tripled. He turned to me with his eyes closed in pain and regret before opening them and looking into mine.

"I had no choice." He said softly.

"AND WHAT OF THE TIME LO–RDS?"

"Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War… Everyone lost…"

"AND THE COWARD SURVI–VED." The Dalek provoked.

"Oh, and I caught your little signal…" He said mockingly. "'Help me…' poor little thing."

"There's no need to provoke him Doctor." I gently pleaded.

"But there's no one else coming." He said in his normal tone, ignoring what I had just said. "'Cos there's no one else left."

The Dalek lowered its eyepiece, as if it was lowering its gaze out of sorrow.

"I AM ALONE IN THE UNIVE–RSE…"

The Doctor smiled mildly.

"Yup!"

"SO ARE YO–U… WE ARE THE SA–ME…"

The doctor's smile vanished immediately, and I saw the corner of his lips tremble with fury and his blue eyes go cold. He turned immediately to face the Dalek, angry.

"We're not the same! I'm not… No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right, yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cos I know what to do, I know what should happen. I know what you deserve."

He walked to the console with buttons and levers with a smile that was totally false.

"Exterminate!"

He pulled on a lever that was at the control panel and the Dalek was immediately engulfed by electricity. I jumped at hearing the Dalek scream in pain. It asked for pity.

"DOCTOR! Stop this now! It may deserve it, but this is not you!"

He turned towards me.

"You're totally wrong for once Alvia, because it's totally me, this has never been truer."

"Really? And what has become of the promise you made yourself by choosing the name 'The Doctor'?" I asked with a courage that was unknown to me. "What has become of this promise never to be cruel and never to be cowardly? Because that's not what I see right now. It is a man who tortures his weak enemy in the worst of ways who is cruel and cowardly!"

Hearing the promise that had been made previously had an impact but I did not have time to see it because the soldiers of Van Statten caught the Doctor and cut off the flow of electricity to the Dalek. The man in question arrived and ordered the Dalek to speak, in vain.

I left the wall to run back to the Doctor, who shouted to Van Statten that it was necessary to put it out of harm's way. The doctor was still struggling, and he had to have a guard notch a right hand in his jaw to calm down. At the shock of the blow, the doctor widened his eyes and stopped dead, the guards took the opportunity to push him into the elevator. Worried about the Doctor's jaw, I approached until our bodies were close and I lifted my right hand to put it gently on his jaw which flinched slightly. He took my hand in his and took it off his jaw.

"You knew..." He murmured softly. "You knew and I didn't listen..."

"It's okay, Doctor... you would have ended up discovering it anyway. How's your jaw?"

"Bearable…"

Van Statten and his assistant arrive a few minutes later and question the Doctor about the Dalek.

"The Metal's just battle armour. The real Dalek creature's inside."

"What does it look like?"

"Sort of octopus but more disgusting." I replied.

"A nightmare," agreed the Doctor. "It's a mutation. The Dalek race was genetically engineered, every single emotion was removed except hate.

"Genetically engineered…" repeated Van Statten impressed. "By whom?"

"By a genius, Van Statten. By a man who was king of his own little world, you'd like him."

On the other hand, I'm not sure Davros would have liked him in return. Not sure Davros would have appreciated him torturing one of his 'children'.

"It's been on Earth for over fifty years, sold at private auction passing from collection to collection. Its never reacted before, so why would it be a threat now?" Goddard intervenes.

"As soon as the Doctor showed up, the Dalek spoke and wanted to kill him immediately. I think that's more than enough proof, right?" I retorted.

"But what I want to know is how did it get to Earth? Does anyone know?"

"Records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth one the Ascension Islands, burnt in its crater for almost three days, keeping from anyone from approaching him. And for all that time it was screaming. It must've gone insane."

"Must've fallen through Time. The only survivor."

"You talked about a war?"

"The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race."

"But you survived too…" said Van Statten, raising his eyes 'innocently' in the air.

"Not by choice."

If I remember correctly, it was the punishment he should have had if Gallifrey had really been destroyed by the Moment. The punishment for using the Moment. But since he never destroyed it his memories had to be altering. I know he doesn't remember saving his planet, but how much does he remember of the last day of the war? How much have his memories been altered?

"This means that the Dalek isn't the only alien on Earth, Doctor. There's you. The only one of your kind who's still alive"

The elevator finally stopped to open to show a dark room like that of the Dalek's. Van Statten snapped his fingers and the guards caught the Doctor struggling.

"Let me go!"

"No way, prepare the scan!"

I was helpless. Totally helpless. While the scientists prepared a machine that looked more like a cannon than anything else, Van Statten asked the doctor to remove his top. The Doctor refused, of course. Van Statten smiled badly. He grabbed me by the collar and pulled me towards his body.

"I think you should take off your clothes, I could 'accidentally' hurt her if you don't do it."

"And I will 'accidentally' hit you where it hurts if you don't let me go and if you don't leave the Doctor alone, fils de pute!" I exclaimed.

Van Statten hits me in the stomach and I gasped. I fell to the ground holding my stomach while I gasped in pain. Fuck, he wasn't kidding, it hurts like hell. Van Statten approached and passed his foot under my body before quickly raising it and slamming it back into my stomach. This time I screamed.

"Maybe I should keep her too, I'd love to make her scream. Her cries are rather endearing."

I got up, ignoring the pain as much as possible, to hit Van Statten but he lifted his weight and swung it toward my face. I felt the pain pouring over my left cheek and I think my eyebrow split open because of my glasses and the wall that I hit. Everything that happened afterwards was really vague. Not because of the loss of my glasses no, I am astigmatic I can see without; but it was because of the fist blow and the wall.

Everything had become vague then black. I just felt something grab my arms and drag me somewhere before I lost consciousness.

* * *

To say that the Doctor was shocked was an understatement. As he watched Alvia gasp at the blow she received from Van Statten, he felt the rage build in him, almost as much as when he saw the surviving Dalek. He watched without reacting, Alvia being hit by this man until she falls; her glasses had flown across the room when she received a right hook in the face. Van Statten took one of his gun's guards, removed the security and pointed it at Alvia.

"Last warning, drop the shirt, or she won't emerge unscathed."

The Doctor swallowed before removing his leather jacket and green top. Van Statten smiled and handed the weapon back to the guard.

"You see, when you obey, nothing bad happens. Take her away! Put her in another room, I'm rather curious about her too, after all, she knew about the Dalek."

One of the guards threw Alvia on his shoulder, moving her as if she were just a worthless bag and went to the elevator and took her to another floor in a room identical to that of the Doctor and Dalek. The Doctor wanted to protest, to rebel and to prevent any experimentation/torture on the girl he had taken as a companion. But any action against Van Statten or attempted liberty would result in more pain for Alvia.

The guards quickly came back and joined his colleague to grab the Doctor and take him to an iron stand. He was chained, arms in the air. The lights came on illuminating and blinding the Doctor. Van Statten went to the torture instrument and turned it on.

"Now, smile!"

The machine performed a kind of sweep on the Doctor's chest. The sweep was painful and the Doctor couldn't even scream the pain was strong. On a screen, you could see a ribcage with two beating hearts.

"Two hearts! Binary vascular system! Oh, I am so going to patent this."

"So that's your secret. You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it."

"All this technology has been on Earth for centuries. All we needed was the good spirit to be able to use it properly. Oh, and all the progress I've been able to make with this alien junk, you have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientist cultivated bacteria from the Russian Crater, and do you know what they found?"

The Doctor looks at him, his eyes showing all his anger but also his curiosity.

"The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course, no need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?" Van Statten smiled smugly.

"Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten? A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do, for the survival of its species, that creature in your dungeon is better than you."

"In that case, I will be true to myself and continue."

He went back to the scanner and the Doctor stirred frantically.

"Listen to me, that thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!"

"Nothing can escape the Cage."

He turned on the machine, causing the Doctor to twist with pain.

"But it's woken up! It knows I'm here! It's gonna get out! Van Statten, I swear no one on this base is safe! No one on this planet!"

But Van Statten didn't listen and continued his torture in search of novelty to patent. The Doctor groaned in pain and threw back his head, clenching his teeth.

The torture continued for about twenty minutes before the whole base heard through the speakers:

"Condition red! Repeat, condition red! This is not a drill!"

The Doctor looked up, exhausted, sweating with pain. He glared at his torturer before announcing to him.

"Release me if you want to live."

* * *

I woke up to the sound of a man talking through a speaker. The ground beneath me was cold and I was trying to remember the latest events. I grimaced feeling a dull ache on the side of my face and I hissed in pain when I barely grazed it with my hand. My fingers were covered with a little blood and I saw in the reflection of a screen a stream of blood running down my face, starting from my eyebrow.

Van Statten was a bastard. A bastard with money but a bastard anyway.

I looked around, trying to recognize the environment. Shit, where was I? I got up and headed for a door. This door opened into an empty corridor. Ok, this was clearly not planned. And I have absolutely no sense of direction. I listened for the slightest sound that could tell me the presence of life. I saw the lights sizzle before disappearing. I was in the dark now, I remembered it was when the Dalek was recovering all its energy and was now free. Some lights came on but it was the alarms. There was no help for me to go somewhere else.

So, I took out my phone and sighed mentally in relief at seeing that I had barely lost any battery. 99%. I activated the torch on my phone and left quickly but silently to the left. I suddenly heard gunshots and howls and I didn't hesitate to sprint to the source of noise. The closer I got to the shots, the more they decreased. The Dalek was close. I finally found the stairs and I heard people talking and then shots before a scream. My level showed the number 55.

"Damn, I'm below the Dalek! I'll have to climb before the Dalek arrives."

I turned off the lamp and put my phone in one of my coat pockets. Then, I climbed the stairs as fast as I could until I stopped seeing the Dalek. I was filled with fear and I stopped hoping it wouldn't spot me. The Dalek continued to climb to floor 52. It followed Rose and I followed it. I saw it take a corridor and arrive in a big room and stop to observe something. I stayed in the hallway before hearing gunshots again. I remembered this scene; I could not hold back my tears. There would be no survivors. I heard the screams of agony of all these people, dead.

As I tried not to cry openly and let out my sobs, I heard the Dalek speak.

"I SHALL SPEAK ON–LY TO THE DOCTO–R!"

I wiped my tears and sniffed a little, before leaning forward slightly without the Dalek seeing me. To my surprise I heard the doctor's voice.

"You gonna get rusty."

"I FED OFF THE DNA OF ROSE TY–LER. EXTRAPOLATING THE BIOMASS OF A TI–ME TRAVELER REGENERATED ME."

"What's your next trick then?"

"I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THE DA–LEKS."

"Yeah, I saw. Downloading the Internet, what did you find?"

"I SCANNED YOUR SATELLITES AND RADIO TELESCOPES."

"And?"

"NO–THING… WHERE SHALL I GET MY ORDERS NO–W?"

The Dalek's voice sounded desperate.

"You're just a soldier without commands."

"THEN I SHALL FOLLAW THE PRI–MARY OR–DER, THE DA–LEK INSTINCT TO DESTROY–! TO CONQUE–R!"

"What for? What's the point? Don't you see that everything is gone? Everything you were, everything you stood for."

"THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO?"

"All right then. If you want orders… follow this one: kill yourself." The Doctor ordered coldly.

"THE DA–LEKS MUST SURVI–VE!" The Dalek quickly replied.

"The Daleks have failed! Why don't you finish the job and make the daleks extinct? Rid the Universe of your filth, why don't you just die?!" The Doctor yelled.

I closed my eyes with sorrow. That the Doctor ordered that was against everything that made the Doctor. I remember that scene shocked me the first time. That hatred that was deep inside him and that will never go away, this darkness due to the Time War. Everyone was affected, him more than anyone.

"YOU WOULD MAKE A GOOD DA–LEK."

Was it bad of me to remember what Rusty had said to the 12th? That he was a good Dalek. Because I feel guilty. And because I know that all the Doctor wants is to be a good man. A doctor.

The Dalek floated away, and I waited a few seconds before following it, getting wet whilst passing through the large room. I had a wave of nausea when I saw all these bodies. I saw a device on the floor, and I squatted, dipping my coat in the water. I prayed for it to work. To my delight it did. I had looked for a way to communicate while following the Dalek discreetly and I finally found one.

"Doctor, Doctor!"

"Alvia! Where are you? I have to close the vaults at level 46!"

"I know. I woke up at level 55. And I have bad news. I'm right behind the Dalek. Everyone is dead here..." I said softly

I heard the doctor's breathing cut.

"Alvia…"

"I screwed up, I totally screwed up, I'm sorry doctor..."

"It's my fault Alvia, not yours. I should have listened to you..."

"Don't worry about me, there is always Rose to save, she is important for the future and sorry for that spoiler. But life is like that, you can say that everyone is important, some are more than others. Rose is the perfect example."

The connection went off, and I saw that the device was out of battery. I sighed with spite and dropped the object on the ground. All I had said to the Doctor was true, after all it was Rose who would be Bad Wolf, she is the one who will warn Donna and the Doctor that the stars went out. She is the one who will end her life with a metacrisis of the Doctor.

I'm just an 18-year-old girl who has disappeared from her world and whose story is almost worthy of a fanfiction. I'm lazy, I couldn't finish my studies, I have an interest in a boy that I will never see again and I'm not important at all. There are 7 billion people on Earth after all, I have known someone who used to compare us to stars, we can't all shine the same way. Some shine more than others.

I finally reached level 46, the Dalek is right in front of me and unfortunately, I cannot hide anymore. I hope the Dalek never turns around and notices me.

While in the series, Rose doesn't reach the vaults and remains on the wrong side, the universe decided to take another path. This time it's me and only me, who is stuck here with the Dalek. I should turn around.

I closed my eyes and swallowed painfully.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HE–RE?"

I jumped in fear as I opened my eyes, the Dalek turned around and saw me. Oh, what a moron am I. Stay here, without hiding.

Here was my end. Killed by a Dalek, at 18 years old. I looked the Dalek right in its eye, I had to die looking at my killer. It's as brave as I can get.

"EXTERMINATE!"

A ray shot out of his gun and missed me. Wait... missed me?

"You missed me; you didn't miss anyone before."

"I AM A–RMED. I WILL KILL. IT IS MY PU–RPOSE."

"Yeah, I think I understood that from the beginning. What are you waiting for?

"I FEEL YOUR FE–AR."

"No shit Sherlock!" I snapped. "You are a creature who kills without mercy, without pity and without remorse. I think anyone with a survival instinct would be scared of you."

"AND YET YOU ARE HE–RE. I FEEL YOUR FE–AR BUT DA–LEKS DO NOT FE–AR. MUST NOT FE–AR."

He shot again, on my other side and still missed me, then he shot at the walls. He seemed frightened and hysterical. Seemed, because in fact, he was shaking, shooting everywhere except me and his voice seemed more acute than normal.

"ROSE TY–LER GIVES ME LIFE. WHAT ELSE HAVE SHE GIV–EN TO ME? I AM CONTAMINA–TED!"

Rose touched the Dalek, giving it some of her DNA and humanity. The Dalek was evolving, becoming something new. The worst thing that could happen to it.

"APPRO–ACH AND TURN TO THE CAME–RA!"

I did what I was ordered and as soon as I turned, I felt its piston against my back between my shoulder blades. Suffice to say that I was not comfortable at all.

"OPEN THE BULKHEAD OR ALVI–A DI–ES!"

A screen appeared in the air and I could see the Doctor panting suddenly, happy and relieved to see me alive and behind him Van Statten, Goddard and Adam were shocked while Rose was confused to see me. Did she really think that I would have been dead, in fact what was she thinking about doing that face?

"You're alive!" He said.

"Yeah, it would take more than a Dalek for me to disappear."

It would take a Dalek who doesn't question his existence to kill me.

"I thought you were dead."

Nice.

"OPEN THE BULKHEAD." repeated the Dalek.

"I forbid you to open this fucking door!" I cried to the Doctor.

"WHAT USE ARE EMO–TIONS IF YOU WILL NOT SA–VE THE WOMAN YOU LO–VE?" Asked the Dalek before cutting off the connection.

I frowned at his declaration.

"He doesn't love me, we've just met." I mentioned to Dalek as if I was talking about the weather.

The Dalek doesn't even bother to answer me. In fact, I did not really expect an answer, what exactly would he say, huh? Because a Dalek who talks about emotions as an expert is as weird and improbable as a Slitheen wearing a pink tutu and who is seen as a beauty on Earth.

The partition opened and the Dalek rested his piston on my back to move me forward. I stumbled, avoiding a fall and in about ten minutes we reached the elevator.

I pressed the button for the floor of Van Statten's office. The atmosphere is extremely tense, I saw that the piston of the Dalek moved quickly, alert.

"You didn't kill me," I began. "So, you can't kill them."

It turned its eyepiece to look at me and I had to step back to avoid it hitting me.

"WHY NOT? WHY ARE YOU STILL ALI–VE? MY FUNCTION IS TO KILL. WHAT AM I? WHAT AM I?"

It wondered about its very existence. If I had been more compassionate to the Dalek, I would have let excuses escape from my lips, but I was not.

I began to look at the number of floors, counting them stressfully. It was when we had almost reached level 1 that I managed to regain the courage that I didn't know I possessed.

The doors opened onto the floor and only the doctor and Adam were missing.

"Don't do anything, It wonders about its own existence!"

"VAN STATTEN," spoke the Dalek, advancing towards the man. "YOU TORTURED ME, WH–Y?"

"I wanted to help you…" he stammered, recoiling. "I just… I don't know, I, I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you… I wanted you better, I'm sorry."

The Dalek continues to advance as the man leans against a wall and his voice increases in a tone, clearly panicked.

"I'm so sorry! I swear! I just wanted you to talk!"

"THEN HEAR ME TALK NO–W. EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINA–TE!"

The Dalek stopped and turned his eyepiece towards me.

"YOU DO NOT STOP M–E?"

"I would even encourage you if there wasn't an audience." I replied, crossing my arms. "This pathetic excuse of man is a complete bastard who deserves his fate. Who knows what other creatures he would have tortured just to hear them speak? But I guess if you can't kill, there must be something else you want? Think about it."

He looked at Van Statten before coming back to me

"I WANT… FREEDOM." he said softly.

"Well..." I announced reluctantly. "You can have it now. I have absolutely no power to stop you."

The Dalek said my words as I went down the halls. I stopped the Dalek by calling it. I wanted to do something to Van Statten before leaving.

"Just wait a minute!"

It turned to look at me. All of them were watching me. So, I sprinted to Van Statten, sending my right fist to his nose. It broke under my hand and he held his nose, pouring blood. I hadn't finished with him; I sent my foot directly into his crotch and as soon as he was on the ground, I kicked his stomach.

"The first blow is for what you did to the Doctor, the second is for me and all of the dead you're responsible for. The last is for fun, I'm furious and I could do worse, but I have a case that requires my attention."

I crouched down to him and whispered in his ear.

"If... I didn't have an audience, if I had time and I didn't know what will happen next, I would have done what you did to the Dalek. It may be a killer but it's its nature and it does not enjoy doing it, it's its duty. You, however, have enjoyed it... and in this room, the only monster I see is you."

I stepped back and smiled at him coldly. I got up, removing the smile from my face and walked forward with the Dalek in the hallway. Rose asked me what I had said to Van Statten but I hummed softly, ignoring her question. We arrived in a much larger corridor and the Dalek stopped before shooting at the ceiling. A ray of light illuminated it and made the scene more pleasant. Rose smiled when she saw the blue sky.

"The sun, I never thought that I would miss its heat so much," I whispered, closing my eyes and enjoying the natural heat source.

"HO–W DOES IT FE–EL?"

The Dalek opened its case before the surprised eyes of Rose and me. His armour revealed a creature much more realistic than that of the series. It looked like an octopus with a prominent brain and had only one eye. Its flesh was extremely pale, and it seemed weak. The Dalek lifted one of its tentacles in the air and closed its eyes, enjoying the only source of warmth it was given.

And that's when I felt compassion for it. It thought it was the last of its race and for a few minutes it got to enjoy something that seemed so insignificant to us. I remember what the 10th doctor said in Torchwood. _One thing a Dalek can't do. Touch. Sealed inside their casing. Never feeling anything, from birth to death, locked in a cold metal cage, completely alone._

"Get out the way!"

We turned around to see the Doctor holding a huge weapon and pointing it at the Dalek. We were its only obstacle.

"Alvia, Rose, stay away now!"

"No!" Said Rose suddenly. "I won't let you do this."

"That thing killed hundreds of people."

"And yet, it's you who holds the weapon." I replied.

"I've got to do this! I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. You know it Alvia!"

"Yes, and it's because I know these things that I ask you to put down your weapon and look at it. Look at it!"

I shifted and looked at the Dalek who had not opened its eye despite the heated exchange. The doctor spoke in a confused voice.

"What's it doing?"

"It's the sunlight, that's all it wants!" Rose responded.

"The only thing anyone has ever given to the Dalek is heat. It just enjoys it."

"B… But it can't." he said in a shaking voice.

"It didn't kill me, it didn't kill Van Statten, it's changing. And You? What about you? Will you change? Because the weapon you hold in your arms gives me a negative answer."

The doctor finally released the pistol, looking lost.

"I couldn't…" He tries to say, on the verge of tears. "I wasn't… Oh, Rose… Alvia… They're all dead."

"I know, and yet killing him will not change anything about your loss and sorrow…" I whispered.

"WH–Y DO WE SURVIVE?" Asked the Dalek weakly.

"I don't know."

"I AM THE LA–ST OF THE DALEK–S." he says with difficulty.

"You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"INTO WH–AT?"

"Something new… I'm sorry."

"Isn't that better?" Asked Rose, offended.

"Not for a Dalek." The Doctor and I said at the same time.

"I CAN FE–EL SO MANY IDE–AS. SO– MUCH DARKNESS… ALVI–A…"

I turned my head quickly towards the Dalek. I was surprised, I shouldn't be the one who orders the Dalek to die, it's Rose who touched it.

"GIVE ME ORDERS! ORDER ME TO DIE."

It closed its eye and Rose grabbed my arm.

"You can't do that!"

"THIS IS NOT LIFE! THIS IS SICKNESS." The Dalek informed Rose.

Her face displays pity and disgust.

"I SHALL NOT BE LIKE HU–MANS. ORDER MY DESTRUCTION!"

"Dalek, self-destruct."

"ARE YO–U FRIGHTENED, ALVI–A?"

"Yeah."

"SO AM I… EXTERMINATE…"

Rose ran to the doctor, almost tripping over the rubble, as I walked slowly backwards, moving a little distance but still staying close to the Dalek. It closed its case and floated in the air. Its golden balls came off to surround it in a perfect sphere, activating a sort of electric field. It exploded inside and disappeared without a trace. Nothing, not even dust or debris, no proof of its existence.

I put my hands in the pockets of my long coat and turned to the Doctor and Rose to see them stunned. I walked towards them, without emotions. I didn't know what to feel about this Dalek.

As soon as I reached the level of the Doctor, he took me in his arms, and I did the same. We separated after a few seconds and I smiled weakly.

"Come on, let's go to the TARDIS. She's waiting for us."

We headed to the elevator and we went down to the level where the TARDIS was. Finally, we stood next to the TARDIS and the Doctor put his hand on it, rubbing his thumb against the blue wood.

"Little piece of home, better than nothing."

"Is that the end of it? The Time War?"

"I'm the only one left. _I win_. How about that."

"If a Dalek survived… maybe one of your people did too." she said consolingly.

"I'd know. In here." He says, patting his temple. "Feels like there's no one."

I looked at the Tardis so as not to let the doctor see the look on my face that would tell him everything. The Master, too, has survived. And for the moment he is hidden in a fob watch. And then, there is the painting with its title 'Gallifrey Falls No More'. The Doctor is not the last of his kind for eternity, he just has to wait.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," said Rose. "And I guess Alvia isn't either."

We heard someone run and Adam arrived.

"We'd better get out. Van Statten's disappeared… they're closing down the base."

The doctor faces him with his arms crossed and I put my back against the Tardis, judging him.

"I'll have to go back home."

"Hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at 15h."

"Adam was saying that all his life he's wanted to see the stars…" Rose noted.

"Tell him to go and stand outside then."

"He's all on his own, Doctor. And he did help!"

"He's a bit pretty. What do you think Alvia?"

"Tastes and colours. But if you want my opinion, he's not what I would call pretty. You're hot, not him."

I gave him a wink and I left the doctor open-mouthed as the Tardis door opened, even though it was previously locked. It seems that someone likes me. _Thank you Sexy_.

I went inside and walked to the railing before being joined by the Doctor and Rose. As soon as the blonde came in I turned around and pushed Adam out, trying to get in.

"Sorry dude, but you take the plane and go home. No chance will I let you get in the TARDIS."

"But why?"

"I don't like the way you look," I said to him with a smile. "End of our meeting, have fun, bye-bye!"

I closed the door in his face and the TARDIS left the museum.

"Where is Rose?"

"Gone to her room. Why didn't you let him come?2

"First of all you're the pilot, it's up to you to decide if someone comes or not and then, he would have tried to use information from the future for his own gain. He would have even had a Tardis key, threatening the entire history of mankind because of his bullshit"

He raised his eyebrows.

"I know, spoilers."

"Thank you."

I smiled and then approached the Doctor. My right hand gently touched his cheek and he said nothing of my action.

"How are you? And do not say you're fine, because I know you're not fine. You were tortured and you had to face one of your biggest enemies."

He sighed and his shoulders bowed.

"I could have been in better condition... what about you? It seems to me that you're hurt..."

"It's true that I've had better days," I laughed softly. "I think I'm going to have bruise and a pretty little scar on my brow bone."

I touched my injured eyebrow before suddenly yelling.

"Ah! My glasses are still there!"

"You seem to manage without them, why do you need them?"

"Astigmatic, without it I see the world in 480p instead of 1080p HD. They also had protection against the blue light from screens.

"We'll go find others, I know a place where you can get them and with the correct correction."

"Wow, space glasses! Very cool!"

"But before, let's go to the medical bay, come on, come on!"

I blow in amusement as he clapped his hands as if he were a school mistress calling his students back into school after recess.

When we arrived at the medical bay, I sat on the same bed as the first time and the Doctor pulled out disinfectant and an ointment. After disinfecting the clean cut on my brow and having put some cream on my cheek and stomach, I observed the doctor who was busy with his screwdriver. I put the ointment pot on its side and leaned back to look at the ceiling.

"I hit Van Statten."

He stopped suddenly and looked at me surprised.

"I think I broke his nose, I hit him in the stomach and in the crotch... this is the second time I've hit someone with the urge to hurt them."

"He deserved it. I am rather curious, who was the first?"

"A boy in my class when I was 12-13 years old. His name was Emmanuel. He was a guy who always made naughty remarks, and with my size he didn't miss me out. College was a difficult time for me too, and that day I cracked. I hit him in the jaw. A beautiful right hook."

"Were you punished?"

"No!" I laughed as I remembered. "I went directly to the CPE and I confessed everything, his only reaction was to tell me that I had done well."

I suddenly yawned, ending our conversation.

"Go to sleep." The Doctor ordered gently.

"Good idea. Good night, Doctor."

I left the bay and headed for my room. After changing into nightwear: Deadpool red t-shirt and black shorts, I slipped under the covers and fell straight into Morpheus's arms as soon as my head touched the cushion.

* * *

here is the translation from french.

"Fuck off!"


	5. Day in TARDIS - After Dalek

hi guys ! New chapter but not an épisode !

After having passed so many exams for my diploma I am waiting for the result. I was accepted at the school I wanted and I even wrote a lot of chapters!

Game of Thrones is over and I start when I have a little lighter head the Good Omens series! (I look forward)

Speaking of chapters, I'm looking for a new beta. The one I currently have, told me of his "resignation" for personal reasons. Anyway, I don't really have search criteria, just someone who doesn't care about the time I put in writing chapters. So if you are interested, don't hesitate to send me a review or a PM.

By the way ! thank you very much for the reviews, the follows and the favs! it makes me really happy !

Enjoy the reading !

* * *

I opened my eyes unwillingly, tiredness still enveloping my body. The TARDIS gently lit my room without blinding me. I rubbed my eyes, blowing hard through my nose. I took advantage of the warmth of the bed for another ten minutes before getting up.

I took a shower, used my shampoo and took a little care of my body. I'm a girl who doesn't care to be fashionable, but I like to be kind to myself and take care of my body, do my makeup and sometimes be pretty. As I have always said, I do it for myself and no one else.

After leaving the bathroom I went to the closet of my room. The bag with my stuff was gone, and my clothes too. I suspect Sexy had something to do with it. So, I opened the closet doors to see my clothes and clothes that I had in my old world and that I didn't have with me. I laughed at the gifts she'd made me and tapped the wall in thanks.

I pulled out faded skinny jeans and ripped high waist fishnet tights and a white t-shirt with the helmet of Loki and written on it 'I do what I want, proud member of Loki's army'. I didn't wear any shoes; I didn't know if I was going on another adventure.

I took the opportunity to observe my room. I hadn't really had the time since our adventure with the Dalek.

My room was bigger than Rose's at Jackie's and bigger than the one I had at home. The walls were similar to inside Twelve's console room. But the floor was a dark solid floor that creaked in some place.

I had a large library which had been filled with the books I had brought, and which only needed to be filled with new books and trinkets. Next to the library I had a long glass desk with my drawing stuff on it, my computer and charger, speakers with a Bluetooth radio but also a mirror and my makeup in front of the mirror. The chair was the same as I had at home, it even had the same traces of wear!

Right next to the desk I noticed that there was a small light wood table with a printer/scanner on it. I approached and checked the paper that I could print. Normal paper and photo paper. I turned on the printer and turned on my computer to connect it. I looked for a particular picture to print with the photo paper to make a gift to the Doctor. Yesterday he said that his Tardis was the last memory of his house. Maybe printing a picture of Gallifrey would make him happy. On the other and, I am not sure of his reaction.

After printing it, I went to put my red Chucks and put my phone in my left back pocket. I took the paper and I left my room. In the hallway I looked to the right and left before asking where The Doctor could be.

"Can you tell me where the Doctor is?"

Sexy replied by turning on her lights and blinking them in a particular direction. I followed the lights, of course, and arrived at the library where the Doctor was reading a book, comfortably seated in a leather chair.

I quickly knocked on the door to make my presence known. He raised his head but did not close his book.

"You're up early, Rose is still sleeping."

"How long have I slept?"

"About 7 hours."

I nodded and remembered why I came.

"Yesterday, you said that the TARDIS was the last memory of Gallifrey that you had. So, with some little things that I had with me I found you another one. "

I handed him the photograph and he took it curiously.

"It's not much, but I thought you might like it..." I said softly.

He put down his book and took the picture with his shaking hands. His eyes scanned the whole picture, observing every detail he could find.

I sat on the edge of his chair and waited for the slightest reaction.

"It's Arcadia... the second city on Gallifrey... the last one to fall..." he said emotionally. "When does your series show Gallifrey?"

"In a flashback," I lied. "One day you will describe your planet and this picture will be shown."

I couldn't tell him that this scene was filmed while his future incarnation would walk on his planet again.

He put the picture next to his book and hugged me. I did the same. My face was leaning against his shoulder and I was smiling softly. We separated when the hug became too long.

"What were you reading?"

"Charles Dickens. Do you know that I met the man in question?"

I snorted in amusement.

"Please, you met him by chance. You got the wrong destination and you broke into his carriage to save Rose!"

"Ah... you knew it."

"Third episode of season 1 of the New Who. The Unquiet Dead." I recited.

"Up to now compared to our adventures, how many episodes have you recognized?"

I got up and I settled in the chair in front of him.

"There are only three episodes I didn't participate in, because I was not there yet. The first is called Rose, this is your first appearance with Rose and the Autons. The second is 'The end of the world' 5 billion years in the future. The third I just told you. The fourth and fifth are respectively 'Alien of London' and 'World War Three' with the Slitheen and the sixth is 'Dalek'. Have I missed anything?"

"I was in Krakatoa and I prevented a couple from going on the Titanic."

"That was briefly mentioned in the first episode..."

"And I was with Rose on a planet where we had to hop to save our lives."

"Seriously?" I laughed. "I can't believe you!"

"I am! Planet Xybolk, its local peoples are all one-legged and it's almost a passable death penalty to walk with both feet. Imagine if you had more than two feet, it must be a nightmare."

I burst out laughing while listening to his story, it all seemed so unreal. I wiped away a tear of laughter.

"I wish I could have seen that! Maybe not be there, I would have hardly lasted five minutes!"

"Well, no chance we're going back there, I absolutely have no desire to walk on one foot again."

"I can imagine."

We laughed a little before we smiled in amusement.

"So, now that you're up. Do you want to go see something?"

"Without Rose?"

"Well, she's not up yet, and she's still sleeping. You, others, like to waste your time for useless things such as sleep." He complained.

"And you, you don't need to sleep, right?"

"Higher physiology, I can last longer without sleeping." he boasts.

"Aah ... I see, excuse me Ô être supérieur!"

"So, adventures?"

"Let me eat before and ask me later. Maybe you should do the same and don't use the excuse of superior physiology, even a time lord like you must eat. In fact, especially you, you run all the time, you need to gain some energy!"

He raised his hands accepting without creating conflicts. So, we headed to the kitchen for breakfast before going on a new adventure.

* * *

here's the translation from french.

."...Ô superior being"


	6. The Long Game

Hey everyone! new chapter yay! and I've got a new beta too! her name is "Sherlockian" on Ao3 and "legendsofwholock" on Tumblr! *wispers* follow her please!

HUM! Anyway! I had the diploma of the exams (baccalaureate) that I passed (and that I mentioned previous chapter!), without mention but who cares about the mention?

I started reading "good omens". I love this book! I'm looking stuff on the internet for a Crowley cosplay (from the show, with David Tennant). I'm already red, I would not need to dye me! By the way, have you ever imagine what if Crowley meet the Doctor ? What would the doctor's reaction be to Crowley ? (must be fun)

I bloody lost 9 season Doctor Who (2 to 10) because of improper handling, but fortunately I recoup the episodes, I'm in the fourth season.

Enough talked about my life, enjoy your chapter! Don't hesitate to leave me a review, a fav or a follow! It makes me happy !

* * *

I was leaning against the console waiting for the Doctor. My coat lay quietly on the railing. Legs stretched, arms crossed and eyes fixed on the ceiling. I waited a few minutes before hearing the doctor's heavy steps against the metal floor, so I smiled and turned my head towards the source of the noise.

"So, where do you want to go?

"I have all of time and space in my hands, it's a lot to choose from."

"Past, present, or future?"

"Surprise me! ...Future!"

He started to drive the TARDIS and asked me to clear the console when I hampered his passage.

I rolled my eyes, but I didn't complain any more than that. The crossing through the Time Vortex was a little chaotic but not any worse than that; at least I didn't end up on the ground.

When we finally arrived, I put on my coat, making a move, not unlike the Doctor's, that would've qualified as dramatic. As soon as I stepped outside, I was invaded by a strong heat wave.

"Wow... someone likes to be hot here. "

The place vibrated under my feet and everything seemed futuristic... yet familiar. Not a soul was alive here, though.

The Doctor fumbled in his pocket and handed me something; a key. I took it and stared at it.

"TARDIS key. Don't lose it."

"I won't. "

I removed my necklace (which was just a simple chain with a ring too big for me) and I slid on my key as a new pendant. I put my necklace under my shirt and felt a pleasant warmth appear and disappear immediately.

The Doctor took my hand and we headed for a door closed by a fence. On the other side, you could see a window. I opened the fence and climbed some stairs before arriving at an observation platform. In front of me, the planet Earth was displayed proudly, though it wasn't as blue as I remembered.

"We are around the year 200,000, it's the fourth great and bountiful human empire. In front of you is the Earth at it's height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons and population of 96 billion. The hub of a galactic domain, stretching across a million planets, a million species with mankind right in the middle.

"It's… it's… wait. Five moons? How can the Earth have five moons?"

"Four of them are artificially created moons but are exact copies of the moon you know. Just a piece of rock that grew up in orbit around a planet."

"In my world, I was taught that the moon was a piece of earth that had been torn off as it collided with her twin Theia. This massive collision provoked the inclination of the Earth and the orbiting of the piece which rounds out as time, speed and its orbit around the Earth. "

He looked at me surprised.

"More I learn about you and your world, more surprised I get. You seem to know a lot." He smiles at me.

"I like everything related to space and my planet." I laughed, running my hand through my hair, slightly embarrassed by my knowledge. "The theory of the real Void, Black holes... in my world we've just, for the first time, seen a black hole. The universe is fascinating, and that's what I like. I like to learn more about the reality in which I live and breathe."

"I can tell." he said. "Your eyes shine with curiosity and passion when you talk about it. And what you say is interesting because it shows the difference between this universe and yours. But this is a conversation for later. " He turned around and we went back to the previous room. "You're gonna love this fantastic period of history. The human race is at its highest in culture, art, and politics. The food is refined, and the people have good manners…"

At these words the place suddenly became animated. The smell of fast-food was felt, people flocked and pushed themselves without even apologizing, tables and chairs were set up and people ate quickly and talked at the same time. It reminded me of the self in high school.

"Fine cuisine and good manner, huh? I mocked. Yeah, I can definitely see it.

"My watch must be wrong." He says, checking the item in question. "No, it's fine… weird…"

"_Someone_ must've fallen asleep in class, if your knowledge is all wrong."

"My knowledge is perfect."

"There's something wrong with everything you've praised me about and for the moment I'm blaming your history." I looked at people all around me. All seemed to be human beings. "And I don't want to say that it's whitewashing at the species level, but why do they all seem to be humans? Where are the billions of species you told me about?

"Oi!" He exclaims, a little offended. "But that's a good point, a very good one. "

The smell of fast food suddenly made me feel hungry again, invading my belly. Seriously, I had eaten half an hour ago! I moaned with spite.

"What? What's wrong?" He asks worriedly.

"I'm still hungry." I complained. "But I can eat when we go back to the TARDIS, don't worry."

"Nah, it's fine." He replied, taking me by the shoulder. "You can order some food, but first of all, we need money. Let's go to a cash point."

He went quickly to a distributor and at the same time took out his sonic screwdriver. I had to run to catch up with him. He held his screwdriver against the crate and what appears to be a future version of a credit card fell. It looked like a harmonica. He handed it to me.

"There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it on useless stuff that every girl buys."

"Do I look like a girl who buys everything?" I asked offended.

I analysed the subject of a quick observation before returning my attention to the Doctor.

"How do I use it?" Because there is clearly no manual supplied with it.

"Go and find out! Time travel is like visiting Paris. Yeah, no, bad example. With you," he corrects himself when he sees my eyebrows rise at the mention of Paris. "It's like visiting another country, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong word, the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers."

I certainly know someone who is using his last example and doing even more than that. I can not wait to meet him.

"Ok I get it, I'll discover for myself." I agreed, sighing strongly. "I'll be right back, do you want something?"

"Nothing for me, thank you. "

So I queued and waited about ten minutes before I could order and pay. I had a drink called _Fishtard_ and a little bacon cronk burger. The burger was in itself a Burger King mini steakhouse but made by the cook named Cronk and the drink was ... how to say ... surprising. When you don't know what it's at first, it's surprising. It had the taste of fish fingers and custard. From trying the recipe one summer, I know I like this mix. It tasted good even though it looked disgusting.

While I ate quietly but quickly, I took out my phone to take some pictures. I took them of my food, my drink and the environment, while remaining discreet.

As the Doctor had said, it was like visiting another country. When I listened to the discussions, I got the impression that they were speaking in another language because the terms they used were completely unknown to me. The way they dressed was a bit odd but they in themselves were fine as were their haircuts.

I played with my phone, spinning and sliding it between my fingers. Well, as much as I could with a 5.5 inch phone. Lost in my thoughts, I jumped when I heard an alarm close to the hiss of a steam train. I was stopped by the Doctor and I quickly joined him and two women while throwing my garbage in the trash.

The Doctor introduced me to Cathica and Suki and informed them that I was his assistant in the inspection on behalf of the management.

"She's pretty young to be an assistant," Cathica remarked, frowning.

"He says that I am his assistant, but really I'm a trainee. Training course following my professional management program." I lied, playing the game. "I'll tell you something, I'm not even being paid, but I do many things."

My little trick succeeds, since she smiles, reassured, and Suki laughs. The Doctor had raised his eyebrows, impressed. Cathica drove us to her place of work and we were joined by her colleagues.

"Professional program? Murmured the Doctor.

"I was studying merchandising at school and we had 22 weeks of internships to validate the diploma. The rest of the time I had classes in high school."

To be honest I preferred my time at school. I have a bad memory of the last internship I did. The manager of the store where I worked had something against me and it had direct repercussions on my health. In the end, 5 weeks of lost school and a catastrophic bulletin. In other words, graduate studies weren't easy, especially since I was a student who did the bare minimum when I had the ability to succeed.

Cathica had led us into an all-white room with an octagonal platform raised in the middle. And in its center a chair leaning back that reminded me of the one that was found in dentists.

"Now, everybody behave! We have a management inspection." She shouted, before turning back to us. "How do you want it? By the book?

"Oh, right from scratch, thanks."

"Ok, so, ladies, gentlemen, multisex, undecided or robot, my name is Cathica Santini Kadainy. That's Cathica with a "C", in case you want to write to Floor 500 praising me, and please… do."

I snorted with amusement before leaning towards the doctor.

"Someone here really wants a promotion." I whispered.

I heard a laugh from the doctor.

"Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and be non-biased. That's company policy."

She turned to the doctor to smile at him and he nodded.

"Actually…" intervened Suki, smiling at us. "It's the law."

"Yes, thank you, Suki." Replies the black woman, irritated. "Okay, keep it calm… don't show off for the guests… here we go." She lies down in the chair. "And… engage safety…"

The staff members put their hands over their facilities. Each wall was lit one by one. Cathica snapped her fingers and her forehead opened, revealing her brain. Disgusting. The staff finally put their hands on their facilities and closed their eyes.

"And 3… 2… and spike!"

The machine above the chair ignited and a blue light went directly to her brain.

"Compressed information, streaming into her." He explains. "Reports from every city, every country, every planet, all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software, her brain is the computer. "

This scene reminded me of a passage from the manga Fullmetal Alchemist: the opening of the Door of Truth in aid of a human transmutation.

"All this influx of knowledge, her mind must be ripped apart."

"It's erased immediately, she won't remember. Fortunately, otherwise her head would explode."

That's what nearly happened to Donna when she had all the Doctor's knowledge in her mind.

The doctor walked around the room and I stayed where I am, watching closely.

"And what about people around? What are they for?"

"They all transmit on the 600 channels through a small chip in their head that connects them to her. Everything that happens in the empire is transmitted from here. " After doing a lap of the room, he returns to my side, leaning on the barrier. "Now, that's what I call power."

"At the technical level maybe, but at the technological level I don't agree."

"What do you mean?"

"This is obvious, right? Even I, who am from the year 2019, can say that there is a huge problem with this technology. I mean, look, her brain is in clear view of everyone, without security and if I wanted to, I could introduce a pen without anyone stopping me."

Suki suddenly gasped as she pulled her hands away as if she had just had a shot of juice. The others were forced to remove their hands and the lights on the walls went out. The compressed information ceased to penetrate Cathica's brain and the door in her head closed. Suki was breathing heavily as she rubbed her hands.

"Come off it, Suki, I wasn't even halfway, what was that for? Said the black woman, annoyed.

"Sorry, must've been a glitch…"

Cathica stood up and a projection came to life on the wall as a loudspeaker activated.

"**Promotion**."

"This is it. Come on. God, make it me. Come on, say my name, praised Cathica."

I raised my eyebrows. This is called an obsession.

"Say my name, say my name, say my name…"

"**Promotion for… Suki Macrae Cantrell.**"

The name flashed on the projection and Suki screamed with joy. Cathica looked disgusted.

"**Please proceed to Floor 500.**"

Suki stood up as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

"I don't believe it… Floor 500!" She exclaimed, stupefied.

"How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you!"

"I don't know, I just applied on the off-chance… and they've said yes!"

"That's not fair, I've been applying to Floor 500 for three years!"

"I understood that there was something with this floor, but in what it's so important?" I interrupted suddenly.

"Walls are made of gold." replies the Doctor.

"This isn't a good reason enough... For all we know, _walls could be covered by ice_ …"

Suki left the room to pack her bag and the others followed suit, realizing that they weren't needed anymore. Cathica stayed with us, grumbling and mumbling under her breath.

About a quarter of an hour later, Suki returned with a bag full of clothes and trinkets. And now we were in front of the elevator, Suki radiantly shining with excitement.

"I'm gonna miss you, Cathica! Oh… Floor 500!" She turns to the Doctor. "Thank you!

"I didn't do anything!"

"Well, you're my lucky charm!"

"All right! I'll hug anyone!"

She happily embraced the Doctor and he returned the favor. Cathica looked stubbornly everywhere except Suki. I could feel her jealousy. To my surprise Suki took me in her arms and as I hadn't expected it, I jumped at the movement.

Unlike the Doctor, she threw me a little on the sides while murmuring thank you in the ear. In a flash of memory I whispered to her.

"Be careful, it's a trap ..."

Her joy calmed instantly and she stepped back and looked at me intently. Her eyes showed her surprise, her understanding but also her determination. No matter what she was fighting for, she knew she was right and I had just confirmed her suspicions. She gave a slight nod to confirm that she understood. Her play resumed when her joy resurfaced.

"Oh, my god! I've got to go, I can't keep them waiting!" She exclaims, taking her bag and rushing to the elevator. "I'm sorry! Say goodbye to Steve for me!"

The doctor smiled and Cathica muttered a jealous "good riddance." I put my hands in my pockets, without reaction.

"You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs."

"They never come back." I whispered.

The Doctor heard it and his mood dropped, his eyebrows furrowed and he became a little more concerned.

"Have you ever been up there?" The doctor asked Cathica.

"No. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to 500 except for the chosen one."

Cathica, no longer wanting to be here, went back to the transmission room, getting ready to work again. I rolled my eyes and the doctor nudged me to say to behave a little better.

"Look they only give us twenty minutes maintenance, can't you give it a rest?"

The doctor sat down in the chair where she had been lying before.

"But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?" Insisted the Doctor.

He shifted to his seat to settle down a little more comfortably, I preferred to stand by the back of the seat, as he crossed his legs.

"I went to floor 16 when I first arrived." She tells us. "That's medical, that's when I got my head done, and then I, I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all." She looked at us suddenly. "You're not management, are you?"

Someone gives her a medal, she get it!

"At last! She's clever!"

"You took some time!"

"Don't be rude, Alvia."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything."

"You're even going to try to report us? Earlier it was ignorance, but this is profound stupidity." I said. "Aren't you even going to ask what we're doing here?"

"Why would I?"

"This is the principle of journalism! You investigate, search and find any information so you can have a correct article!" I exclaimed. "What you do is clearly not journalism!"

"Alvia's right. Why is the crew only human?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" She responded, confused.

"There's no aliens on board. Why?"

"I don't know. No real reason, they're not banned or anything."

"Then where are they?" He asks, looking around the room.

"I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what, with all the threats." She lets out, puzzled.

"What threats?"

"I don't know." She said, lost. "Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away…"

She was starting to panic a bit. At the same time we stared at her seriously, without saying anything.

"Oh, and the government on Traffic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see… just… lots of little reasons, that's all."

"Why did it collapse? What allowed the collapse? What will be the consequences of this collapse?" I asked suddenly. "You don't ask yourself these questions? Or do you prefer to just have the information without the details?"

"Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice." The Doctor chimed in.

"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."

"We always say that." I commented, uncrossing my legs and leaning on the chair. "We think we know everything, we see everything. But in the end, we made a mistake and it's too late. And when I say "we" I mean the human race."

"And I can see better. This society's the wrong shape. Even the technology." The Doctor added.

"It's cutting edge!"

"You're kidding?" I objected. Have a hole in your skull, its cutting edge?! Where did this idea come from, by the way?"

I consider the doctor for an answer I would never know.

"It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful human empire's been held back and someone or something is the reason."

"And how would _you_ know?"

"Trust me. Humanity's been set back about 90 years... when did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"

"91 years ago…"

The doctor nodded and I looked at him with eyes that said, "See?", the Doctor suddenly stood up, taking me back and squeak with surprise. I almost fell back.

"I need to get into the system, where can I find a computer?"

"You should try next to the elevator." I helped. "There was a kind of maintenance door, you might find your happiness."

He kissed my forehead suddenly, laughing and complimenting me.

"You're fantastic!"

And he left quickly, and I put my hand on my forehead, blushing and trying to hold back a smug smile that would make me look stupid.

"That's certainly new ..." I murmured.

I quickly joined the Doctor, heading towards the elevator. Cathica followed us while whispering that she could be fired. As if we weren't going to have any problems.

The Doctor was scanning the door to try and open it. Since it wasn't wood, I hoped that we wouldn't have too many problems.

"You're not allowed to touch the mainframe, you're gonna get told off!"

"Can I tell her to shut up?" I asked the doctor, annoyed.

"You can't just vandalise the place, someone's gonna notice!"

"As much as they noticed the conspiracy around this Satellite?" I mocked.

The Doctor suddenly opened the door violently and went inside scanning with his screwdriver searching for something. He triturated the cables, tearing some. His sonic was still active and making his usual noise.

I wiped a little sweat running down my neck.

"I have nothing to do with this, I'm going back to work."

Cathica started to leave when the Doctor said goodbye, she turned around. At that moment, she had an internal crisis about whether or not she should leave us, trying to figure out which would be the right thing to do, since she didn't want to have any problems.

"I can't just leave you, can I?"

I ignored her.

"Look for the heat." I said to the doctor. "You might find something interesting."

"A clue?"

"Mmm maybe." I hummed. "Anyway it's too hot for a healthy environment; it's not normal."

"We keep asking, something to do with the turbine."

"And as usual, you didn't dig deep enough to find the problem, or perhaps even solve it." I said sarcastically, while the doctor repeated the last sentence in mockery.

"One minute, you're worried about the Empire and the next time it's the central heating! I don't understand you."

"It's still the machinery of the place that keeps you alive while you're in space. If I was in your place, I would have already returned to earth with the station for a complete technical checkup."

"And never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important."

At these words, the Doctor snatched a batch of threads. I snorted with amusement and he looked up before throwing the cables to the ground.

I pulled out of the closet to let him do his job for a few minutes. In the meantime, I tightened the laces of my shoes before sitting on the floor, legs crossed and one hand holding my head.

He eventually hacked the mainframe and succeeded a few minutes later. He turned the screen towards us and stepped back to let us see; I got up to read the screen. Cathica had also come closer, her curiosity having won.

"Here we go, Satellite Five. Pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout." He presents.

"This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange… and you're looking at pipes?"

"But there's something wrong."

She turns to him, puzzled, before turning her attention to the screen, thinking about the problem before finding it and uttering it.

"Everything works perfectly. Cooling ducts, ice filters ... all channelling massive amounts of heat _down_."

"All the way from the top. Floor 500." Adds the doctor.

"Where the walls are made of gold."

"Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat."

"Now, that's interesting and it's worth an investigation. And what better way to retrieve the information than to go there?" I smiled mischievously.

"You can't, you need a key."

Oh, come on!

"Keys are just codes, and I've got the codes right here." He said, gesturing towards the screen. He stepped forward and pressed a few buttons to generate a code. "Here we go, override 215.9."

A code appeared, to the surprise of the journalist.

"How come it's giving you the code?"

The Doctor suddenly looked up at a security camera.

"Someone up there likes me"

The Doctor tidied the screen and closed the closet before locking it. We then headed for the elevator that was waiting for us with the doors open.

"I guess you don't want to ride?" I asked Cathica.

"Absolutely not!"

The Doctor waved goodbye.

"Don't mention my name! When you get in trouble, just don't involve me!"

The Doctor tapped the code to activate the elevator and the doors closed.

"Looks like it's just you and me."

"I'm not complaining." I responded, winking at him.

Oh my god ... am I? Did I try to flirt with the doctor? If I did, the doctor didn't seem to mind (or decided not to show it). He still took my hand in his and wrapped his fingers around mine.

"He would have put the thing on the head. Adam, I mean."

"For information." I remember. "The history of the microprocessor." I clarified. "And he would have had Rose's key and her phone."

"How?"

"She passed him, and he made her believe he wasn't feeling well."

"Good, luckily he's not with us." He assures himself.

"I'm still waiting for Rose's reaction to us being gone without her. I don't think she really likes me."

He gently squeezed my hand to reassure me. A silence settled and I felt the same pressure that I experienced at Van Statten in the elevator. We were getting closer to the top floor. The door finally opened to let us see floor 500, whose walls were covered with ice, floor covered with snow, and had stalactites decorating the ceiling. The change in the temperature was immediate and I was in my element. I always liked the cold, and I didn't really feel it (though I was still happy to have my long coat as an extra layer). With every breath we took, a mist appeared.

"The walls are not made of gold. You should go back downstairs."

"And leave you with the White Walker version of Simon Pegg? No way."

Without wasting time, we moved forward. We didn't stop when we saw corpses that were decomposed and frozen. We went straight to the control room, where the Editor was looking at the screens. It was as I had thought: the Simon Pegg look-alike with the hair, the frozen white beard, and the blue eyes similar to those of the White Walkers.

He turned to us, smiling.

"I started without you. This is fascinating." He starts. "Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you two… you don't exist!"

I squinted at his little speech. He laughed.

"Not a trace! No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"

I watched the corpses work, it was disturbing and horrible.

"From what I've seen, you're both full of information." He said. "But it's only fair we get information back, because apparently, you're no one. And it's so rare not to know something. Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter, 'cause we're off. Nice to meet you." The Doctor responded flatly.

I wanted to go back but I was caught by hands that were cold and hard. I struggled to get away, and was frightened to see the corpses so close to me.

"Tell me who you are!"

"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly gonna say, am I?"

"Well, perhaps my Editor in chief can convince you otherwise."

"And who's that?"

I looked up in horror at the thing that controlled Satellite Five. I didn't even think to lower my eyes, as shock flooded my body and prevented me from making any movement.

"It may interest you to know that is _not _the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live."

The creature opened his mouth and grunted things; he seemed angry. The Editor listened eagerly and intently to what he said.

"Yeah, sorry. It's a place where humans are _allowed_ to live, by kind and generous permission of my client."

He snapped his fingers before pointing them up. The doctor glanced at me to see that I was looking up, horrified, at the ceiling. He noticed that I had been in this position for a while. The creature turned out to be a kind of sticky bump, his eyes nasty and distant, with a mouth full of sharp, snapping teeth.

"You mean, that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?"

"That "thing", as you put it, is in charge of the human race." The doctor looked at the man, alarmed. "For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided, his knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by its broadcast news. Edited by my superior, your master, and humanities guiding light, the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe." The Jagrafess continued to roar as he spoke. "I call him Max." He confesses, amused.

The Doctor smiled sarcastically and nodded, before were shot unceremoniously at a device that held us in place. Our wrists were fastened securely and there was no way to escape; not even trying to dislocate my thumbs would work.

"If we create a climate of fear… then it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilize an economy… invent an enemy… change a vote…"

"So, all the people on earth are unconsciously slaves." I spat.

"Well, now. There's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?" He philosophises.

"Yes." The Doctor answered immediately.

"Oh, I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?" He asked, a little disappointed.

"Yes."

"It's not like we have four hours to answer, huh?"

The Editor laughed condescendingly.

"You're no fun."

"Let me out of these manacles, you'll find out how much fun I am."

"Oh, he's tough, isn't he? But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"He may be ingenious," I conceded reluctantly, "but people must have noticed it after all this time."

"From time to time." Confirmed the Editor. "Someone, yes. But the computer system allows me to see inside their brain… I can see the smallest doubt, and crush it."

"I can see that." I said softly, looking at Suki and the other corpses.

He smiles while strolling in front of us. The Editor says something, but I didn't listen, as I had just noticed Cathica sneaking into the room.

"What about you? You're not like this thing. You're human."

"Yeah, well simply being human doesn't pay very well."

"What I mean is that you couldn't have done it alone. I don't think you're a criminal mastermind, like Moriarty."

"No! But I represent a consortium of Banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to um… install himself."

"No wonder, given its size." Commented the doctor.

Cathica approached a little, and saw the Jagrafess. Her expression changed to one of shock.

"What's his life span?"

"Three thousand years."

"That's one hell of metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, stays alive. Satellite Five's one great big life support system."

"And that's why you're so dangerous! Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown."

He snapped his fingers and the handcuffs ignited, sending electric shocks through them. I gasped with the sudden pain.

"Who are you?"

I groaned in pain. I could feel my legs shaking.

"Leave her alone. I'm the Doctor, she's Alvia. We're nothing, we're just wandering!"

He snapped his fingers and the pain stopped.

"Well, if you don't want to tell us, we have another way…"

He pulled small black claws that emitted a blue light out of his suit pocket.. The Editor approached me and I wanted to retreat from the imminent danger. He hung his claws at my temples and I felt a sharp pain in my head. He looked at me, satisfied and I glared at him. But it only lasted a few seconds, since he snapped his fingers again and an excruciating pain tore through my skull.

I had flashes of memories about my past, the Doctor; his past, his planet, his TARDIS, and I couldn't stop myself from screaming. It was as if something was rummaging through my mind but was tearing up everything in its path.

After what seemed like hours of torture, it finally stopped. My legs dropped, but I was still restrained by handcuffs. I felt a cold hand caress my face and I didn't even have the strength to pull away. The pincers were removed and it felt liberating.

"Time Lord." Announced the Editor, fascinated.

"What have you done to her?!" Shouted the Doctor.

"The last of the Time Lords in his travelling time machine. With his little foreign fox from so far away."

"You're ripping apart her mind!" Accused the Doctor, horrified. "You read her thoughts, you saw everything!"

"And thanks to her, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in her head has now become mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The human empire is tiny compared to what you saw in your: T. A. R. D. I. S. TARDIS."

"You'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first."

"Die if you want, but I don't need you. After all, I've got the key."

The Editor fumbled in my t-shirt to get the chain I had kept the key on. He took it in his hand before quickly releasing it, and I could see that he had been burned by the key that had suddenly flashed gold.

"And the TARDIS won't let it go, she is stubborn after all." I murmured, happy of the sudden injury of our captor.

"I can find a way to get in." He brushes it off, as if it was nothing. "We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing."

"And no-one's gonna stop you. Because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughter house if they're told it's made of gold." The Doctor mocked, addressing his words to Cathica.

The revelation appeared on her face and it took shape as a kind of decision. Suddenly, she left her place, knowing where she had to go.

An alarm sounds just after, disturbing the man in front of us. He snapped his fingers and a projection showing Cathica using the compressed information appeared.

"Who's that?!"

"Cathica, an investigative journalist." I said proudly. "And she uses what she knows."

"Everything I told her about Satellite Five, the pipes, the filters, she's reversing it! Look at that…"

The Doctor was watching the stalactites and the ice on the walls that was starting to melt. The Editor became frenzied and tried to stop Cathica as the screens suddenly exploded, and the corpses fell to the floor, lifeless. The Satellite shuddered abruptly and the alarms went off. By some miracle, my handcuffs were undone. I, of course, fell to the ground, being no longer restrained. Putting aside my headache, I got up and looked for the Doctor's screwdriver by delving into his inside pocket, (which was, of course, bigger on the inside).

"Since there's no more ventilation, the Jagrafess is no longer cool. He's like a volcano ready to explode!"

After rummaging for a moment, I finally found it. I clutched it in my right hand, and held it like a wizard holding his wand. Pressing the switch, I aimed it at each handcuff, which buzzed and exploded as they unlocked. Finally, The Doctor was free, and we ran away from the explosion to find Cathica. Before leaving the control room I glanced at The Editor, who was begging me to save him. The Doctor had already told him that the explosion was going to be massive. Without thinking, I ran to the ultra-white Simon Pegg and grabbed his arm, pulling him to safety. Surprisingly, Suki hadn't managed to catch him, and I'd just saved a bad guy.

"Not a word, not a comment or I hit you." I barked at him.

I joined the doctor and Cathica, who glanced at The Editor, shocked that he was beside me. As I approached, I heard an explosion of fluid that made me wince.

"Why is he here?"

"I thought he should face justice. The shadow proclamation, perhaps?"

As The Doctor agreed that it was a good idea, Cathica smiled wickedly and the Editor swallowed hard in fear. We returned to floor 139 where everyone was recovering from the hustle and bustle. Thanks to The Doctor, the Editor's hands were now tied with some kind of alien handcuffs and he was left in Cathica's care.

Without sticking around to see what happened next, we went back to the TARDIS, drifting quietly. We talked a little bit about everything that happened, and I told him that I didn't regret a second of it. I found some medicine for my headache, which (despite the taste) was surprisingly effective. The two of us chatted happily until Rose arrived in the console room, a furious expression on her face.

"Where the hell were you?"

"You were asleep so we decided to go on a little adventure without you." Replied The Doctor, ignoring the furious tone of the blonde. "Nothing to worry about."

"And you didn't think to wake me up?!"

"If you want it to be fair, you can do the next adventure without me." I suggested.

She made a "humpf" of acceptance but continued to stare me down. I shrugged before putting my coat in my bedroom and heading to the library to read a little. The Doctor did the same, enjoying the time to pause after this escapade. He picked up the Charles Dickens book he had left last time, and I took a Lovecraft. The day passed quietly with reading and literary discussions, leaving my mind in peace.


	7. Father's Day

Hey guys ! I know so much time since i publish the last chapter !

I have so many things to told you! i finished the book Good Omens ( this summer ) and i start to watch the show. I also start a show on Netflix 'Criminal', David Tennant is creepy as fuck (I have not finished the first episode yet).

Thanks to Legendsofwholock who started the correction of this chapter and to Bored411 who ended it (you're saving me! again thank you!)

Also, I wrote a new story that maybe I would publish. it's called 'Time Lord 2.0'

**We know that the Lords of Time and their planet Gallifrey, were frozen in Time for a few seconds in another universe. And if during the transfer of the planet from one universe to another, the blockage in time fell for a few moments before resuming itself, leaving a handful of Gallifreyan and Lord of Time the opportunity to to run away and create a new branch of the formerly peaceful people? Time lords 2.0.**

Of course this was the first idea, i already created a original caracter etc... this oc will join the 10th doctor right after his regeneration. Tell me if you want to read that story.

Anyway, i won't talk anymore, Enjoy this chapter ! and if you liked it, leave a reviews or fav or follow :D

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It's when we've lost someone that we realize how important they really are. I lost my parents, my family, and my friends the day I had a car accident. Since that day, I haven't seen any of them, not even once. It was the curse of having changed universes. And because I was afraid of being disappointed, I never asked the Doctor to see if my parents existed in this universe.

Because I knew that even if they were alive here, they could never be my parents, not really. In this universe, maybe they never met, and never had me. It's this intense fear of rejection that's made me repress my feelings about this loss; deny myself mourning. That's why I didn't mention my parents, why I gave up my name without looking back.

To take my mind off it, I started reading again. I like to read, it's the only way I can escape to another world without ever leaving this one. I found myself re-reading Harry Potter for the umpteenth time. I was in the third volume, the Prisoner of Azkaban. I remember that it was this book and the film, as well as Doctor Who, which introduced me to my fascination in time travel and the science behind it. Well, I admit that the film and the series helped me more than the book. I'd devoured the book, and the whole saga, but I admit that the journey through time in the book made me neither hot nor cold.

So there I was, reading Harry Potter. I was in Remus' class, rediscovering the creature that took the form of our greatest fear. I have no idea what my biggest fear would be. I was a student at Hogwarts when Rose arrived, making me return to the TARDIS in her console room; sitting on the floor, legs crossed (which was a little painful), against a pillar of coral. Rose held a picture frame in her hands. The Doctor was sitting there playing with a ball that he had brought back from the previous adventure with Rose.

They had been on an alien market, in a galaxy very far from ours. They'd been far in the past, before the creation of our galaxy. It had been an adventure I did not participate in, just Rose and the Doctor. To make up for the adventure on the Satellite Five that we had done without her. From what I understood their adventure went wrong, of course. The market hid a black network that was selling slaves. Rose, being human, was an unknown breed to the local species, so she was captured. It was during the auction that the Doctor had found her and managed to dismantle the network. A story that ends well. The bullet the Doctor was playing with was just a trinket he'd gotten from one of the buyers during the auction. I suspect the Doctor of having some kleptomaniac tendencies.

Rose sat down in front of him, resting on the console, fiddling with the picture. She seemed to have trouble speaking. I could tell that it was because she was getting emotional, but after a sudden burst of courage she finally spoke, choosing her words carefully.

"Peter Alan Tyler, my dad… The most wonderful man in the world. Born 15th of September 1954…"

She told us about her father, telling us word for word what her mother had told her when she was younger.

"That's what mum always says. So, I thought… maybe… could we? Could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?"

"Where's this come from, all of sudden?" Asked the Doctor

"All right then. If we can't, if it goes against the laws of times or something like that, then never mind, we'll just leave it."

"No, I can do anything. I'm just more worried about you."

"I wanna see him," she said.

"Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for."

He got up and pulled the lever that started the engines. Rose decided she wanted to see the wedding of her father and mother, so she gave the Doctor the date and place of the wedding. He typed in the coordinates and pressed a few buttons, moving around the console quickly as he drove the TARDIS. When she materialized at the right time and in the right place, Rose went straight to the door. The Doctor turned to me, but I didn't move, still reading Harry Potter and turning the next page in my book.

"You don't want to come?"

"It's Rose's request to see her father, not mine. I wouldn't want to ruin her good time, especially since I get bored quickly at weddings."

The Doctor shrugged and quietly left the TARDIS, joining Rose outside. The door closed and locked behind them. Alone in the console room of Sexy, I continued reading, returning to Hogwarts. Time passed at the school and the pages turned, I was bewitched in this world, accompanying Harry, Ron and Hermione in their adventures.

The glow of the moonlight bathed the surroundings of the school grounds. Professor Lupin was painfully transformed into a Werewolf until he finally screamed in the biting cold of the dark night. He was moving slowly towards us, preparing to attack us when a hand suddenly rested on my shoulder. I jumped, shouting suddenly. I looked up to see that it was the Doctor, holding back a mocking smile. I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest, I was surprised. I saw the Doctor's chest tremble and I gradually heard an amused chuckle from him. I got up, my pale cheeks turning red from embarrassment. A sneer came from Rose and I tried to keep the little dignity I had, taking my book and closing it, placing a bookmark where I had stopped.

I glanced at the Doctor, daring him to mention what had just happened. He raised his hands, feigning innocence, even though I could see he was laughing internally, his blue eyes shining with mischief.

"You're back." I observed. "How was the weeding?"

"Disappointing …" Rose sighed. "I was wondering ... could we go see him the day he died?"

"Why?" Asked the Doctor, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Mum said he died alone, and he didn't have anyone with him ... I want to be that someone. So that he doesn't die alone."

"November the 7th?"

"1987."

I looked at Rose apprehensively, she was going to see her father die. It's painful to see your father die. I know that if I had the opportunity to go back to see my dead grandfather, I would have liked to tell him everything I'd done. I couldn't have saved him, he died of cancer. The worst part of his death is that I don't remember the date or the year. My throat tightened as I thought about my grandfather. I swallowed hard before returning to Rose.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure about what?"

"Sure about seeing your father die? It's not the kind of thing that anyone would want to see."

"I didn't ask for your opinion!" Rose shouted.

I swallowed a remark, preferring that she didn't pour all her anger out on me. Collapsing against a coral pillar, I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I tapped my thumb twice on the screen to turn it on and put it on the fingerprint sensor to unlock it. Once I'd turned on the Tumblr app, I scrolled to see the new posts. The Doctor had at one point made his jiggery-pokery on my phone and I was now connected to the 4G inter-universal (honestly, it's so cool).

Rose ran out of the TARDIS again followed by the Doctor. He turned for a few seconds to look at me before closing the door. For almost twenty minutes I was alone and as I tidied up my phone and got up to get a drink, the door suddenly opened and Rose rushed towards me for a hug. As I didn't expect it, I stretched out, arms in the air moving slightly, not knowing what to do. A bit like Eleven when River kissed him at Stormcage.

Rose sobbed in my arms, her head on my shoulder, and I was sure her tears—stained with mascara—were on my t-shirt. The Doctor returned and looked surprised to see Rose in my arms. I felt exactly the same, since she and I don't have the best relationship. Since I didn't want to be a first class bitch, I rubbed my hands against her back comfortingly.

"I ... I can't do it alone!" She cried into my shoulder. "I'm begging you to come! I don't want to be alone!"

I frowned, and looked up at the Doctor for a hint of what she was trying to say, but he didn't answer me. Rose sniffled and finally looked at me, tears down her cheeks.

"I can't do it alone, Alvia ... Please come with me." She begged through her tears.

"No," I replied immediately.

Rose pulled back as if I had slapped her, her eyes wide. Was it because of my negative answer? Because of the speed of my answer? Because of the firm tone I used and my expression, which showed that I thought it was dangerous? I knew she was going to end up saving her father, but if I could stop her, it would be better.

"W…Why?!"

"I'm not an expert on Time, like the Doctor, but what I do know is that going to the same place at the same time as your past is dangerous. And seeing your father die for a second time is just cruel."

The Doctor suddenly intervened, trying to convince me that nothing bad will happen and that Rose just wanted to help her father. Their eyes were fixed on me, pressuring me to agree. And as I've always said, the majority wins. Reluctantly, I answered Rose. I sighed, defeated, and ran my hand through my short hair.

"Fine... I'll come. But I'm warning you, Rose, I'm against the idea. If anything happens, it's not going to be my fault."

A faint smile lit up her face and she nodded. I looked at the Doctor and something in his position and his face told me that he thought I'd done the right thing. Taking my long coat, I put it on without saying anything. The Time Lord flew his TARDIS, and after the hissing sound could no longer heard, Rose ran out. Before the Doctor could leave too, I grabbed his arm and pulled firmly so that he was facing me.

"I'm serious about all of this, Doctor. If something happens…"

"Nothing bad will happen." The Doctor tried to quell my fears, which he thought were groundless.

"Doctor! Rose is only a human, she doesn't know anything about the laws of Time! If she makes any mistakes, like—"

"Alvia!" Interrupted the Doctor. "Nothing will go wrong! Rassilon, you talk like_ them_…" He finally said before pulling his arm out of my grip and joining the blonde.

It was a low blow, and it hurt. To compare myself to his people was insulting, and it was vicious on his part. It's not my fault that I knew that Rose was going to save her father in defiance of the universe, and that she'll endanger the Doctor's life and the TARDIS. I swallowed my anger and did everything to try and calm down so he couldn't see how much he'd hurt me by comparing me to his people. I grabbed the TARDIS key that hung on my neck and fiddled with it, finding the action to be a source of comfort. Looking up, I thanked the TARDIS before finally stepping outside. Rose and the Doctor were standing around the corner, hiding from their past selves and watching her father. It was when I finally joined them that I could see the past versions of them.

"Right. That's the first us. It's a very bad idea to be here twice, so don't get spotted. She'll run away and he'll follow her, you'll go after."

"I can't do this," she said.

"You don't have to, but this is your last chance. We can't be here a third time," warned the Doctor.

But she didn't seem to listen. I silently put myself behind her, ready to catch her before she ran to save her father. He's about to get out of the car and I grabbed Rose's hips with all my strength as she started to move to run. She struggled for a moment before throwing her elbow into my nose violently, making me let her go. Her feet hit the pavement quickly as she ran, and I heard the Doctor shout as I held my nose, which had started bleeding.

"Oh… Fuck…"

Rose ran past their past selves, who stared at her as she pushed her father away from the car that was supposed to kill him. As I watched, I felt an enormous feeling of unease, and the past versions of the Doctor and Rose turned to look at me with a confused expression. The feeling of discomfort only got stronger, and I had to hold onto the wall with my free hand to keep myself steady. I looked back over at Rose to see that she and her father were talking. With a sigh, I pinched my nose harder as I felt a headache coming on. I could feel the throbbing pain as it matched its rhythm to my pulse.

The Tylers approached us and Peter handed me a handkerchief to wipe away the blood, suggesting that we go to his apartment so I could clean up in his bathroom. Rose automatically followed him, but I just wanted to leave, and as I took a step forward a wave of nausea overcame me, and my vision suddenly blurred. I felt my body starting to fall as my vision got worse, and the Doctor quickly reached out and caught me. Although I knew it was stupid to refuse his help, I pushed him away, still upset about his insult from earlier. Despite my feelings of anger at that moment, I knew that I would never be able to stay angry at him for long, especially since I knew exactly what was about to happen—that the world would disappear, little by little.

When we finally arrived at the apartment, Peter showed me to the bathroom, although I knew where it was. I thanked him with a nod before heading to the sink. Putting down the handkerchief (which was now almost completely red), I pulled my sleeves up and ran my hands under the water, before quickly rubbing the rest of the blood off of my face.

Outside the room, I could hear Rose repeat word for word what her mother had told her so many times, and as she finished speaking I heard the Doctor's deeper voice. Taking a deep breath, I returned my attention to my reflection, noticing that my skin was a lot paler than usual. The last time I looked like that was when I was ill.

When I was younger, I was affected by ophthalmic migraines (migraines linked to problems with vision), and I was in great pain. I had to be locked in complete darkness, without lights and without noise. The worst migraine I had was when I was still living in Lyon. My skin is already very white because I'm a redhead (and sometimes I think the sun is subtly trying to kill me, so I tend to stay inside when I can), but when I'm sick, I look even worse—in the worst of times, I can become almost translucent.

And you know what? That's how I looked at that moment. My skin, which looked healthy this morning when I'd looked in the mirror, had turned a sickening shade. I was translucent. And I was pretty sure it was because of the fucking migraine and nausea that were were refusing to go away. My fists clutched the edge of the sink, and I let it take my body weight for a moment as I drew in another shaky breath. A second later, my eyes fluttered closed, and I splashed water on my face, letting the sudden coolness revive my energy. With one last glance in the mirror, I turned off the water and left the bathroom.

The Doctor and Rose were still talking, their voices getting louder with every word. Not wanting to give my opinion on the situation, I simply walked between them, completely ignoring them both as I left the apartment to get some fresh air. I went down the stairs of the building and found myself in the yard of the estate. As I looked around me, I noticed that the area was much quieter than usual, and though there was a slight wind there was no noise, not even bird songs. The world had changed, I could feel it in everything around me, even in the water dripping off my face. I could feel it in the ground beneath my feet, and smell it in the air that passed through my clothes.

"You were right…"

I turned to see the Doctor on my right, hands in his pockets, a disappointed expression on his face.

"You were right to say that this could happen, and all I did was ignore and insult you. All because I was overconfident in myself and thought everything would go as I wanted it to."

I took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Everyone makes mistakes, even Time Lords. But what sets you apart from everyone else is that you admit your mistakes…"

"You are so young and yet you always find the right words. You're so wise…" The Doctor mumbled appreciatively.

"I have to… Something made me see the world differently, with detachment almost ..."

He put his hand on my cheek and I leaned a little on it, enjoying the warmth of his hand.

"I'm sorry you have to take this role, I'm sorry you have to live it all."

"Don't be sorry about things that are out of your hands." I smiled a little at the Doctor before feeling my body start to collapse once again, but this time when he caught me I didn't push him away.

Another wave of nausea flooded my body as my headache suddenly worsened, making me groan and bury my face in the crook of his neck as I clenched my fists around the material of his leather jacket.

"… Via! Alvia!" The Doctor called out to me, worried, the hand that had been resting on my cheek gently tapping me and he begged me to answer him.

After a while, the pain subsided and—after swallowing—I finally tried to speak; my voice being muffled by the fabric of his T-Shirt.

"I don't feel so good…"

He helped me up, holding my hips to support me and to prevent me from falling again. My legs were shaking, and I felt like all my energy had been drained in an instant.

"TARDIS." The Doctor simply said.

I nodded and headed for the TARDIS. We took longer than we should have to get there, because I kept stumbling and trying not to fall over. I glanced over at the Doctor and our eyes met, and I could see his concern for me shining through, as well as his annoyance at the problems with time that Rose had just created.

As we stood in front of the TARDIS, I got out my key and unlocked the door, since he was too busy holding me steady to do it himself. To our horror, when the doors opened the TARDIS wasn't bigger on the inside. It was just a blue wooden police phone booth. The Doctor quickly let go of me as he entered and checked the walls frantically before stopping and saying Rose's name.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him as he ran in the direction we had come. This was a bad experience for me because of my less-than-stable condition, and because I was finding it hard to stay upright. I wouldn't have been able to run if he wasn't still gripping my hand. But despite my pain we ran, and we kept running, until the roof of the church was visible. Turning the street corner, we saw the bride, Rose's parents, and Rose herself. The Doctor called her and as she turned around with a satisfied smile on her lips. The creature we were dreading appeared then; a Reaper. Rose saw it too and let out a loud scream but seemed to be frozen in her spot, which allowed the creature to see her and dive towards her. Thinking quickly, the Doctor let go of my hand and ran over to Rose, pushing her to the ground, while I dropped to the floor to avoid getting caught by the creature too.

Unfortunately for us, more of these things appeared and the people outside the church started screaming and trying to run away. Some of them were eaten, including someone who appeared to be the father of the groom. And as we humans were too curious, the people who were still inside started coming out to see what was going on. Some of them were eaten too. But the Doctor took the problem in his stride and shouted for everyone to get back inside the church which was a great idea, considering a Reaper had been headed towards us.

Once inside I helped the Doctor close the door and I dropped to the ground, back against the wood; my abdomen aching along with a high-level migraine. Good news: the nausea was gone. I put my hand on my face, and I could swear I was starting to have a fever. I got up somehow, remaining against the door. I didn't trust myself to stand alone without support, and my legs didn't seem too reliable.

"They can't get in. Windows and doors look old," noticed the Doctor. "The older it is, the stronger it is. What else? "

An acute scream was heard. It was the Reapers.

"Go and check the other doors! MOVE!" He shouted.

I joined the Doctor to check the other doors, since apart from one man and Peter, nobody was doing it. And I had done well to join the Doctor and continue without him, because Jackie decided to intervene by asking a lot of questions. I smirked, albeit faint, hearing the Doctor enjoy the fact that she will not remember him and telling her to shut up. I ran while leaning on the wall to reach an emergency door that I locked frantically. A Reaper was trying to get in at the same time and it was a fight against the clock to find out if the door would resist and suffer or give in. It resisted.

I joined the rest of the people as the Doctor was explaining the situation, standing in front of Rose. I slumped against one of the benches in the back and I settled down so that I was lying down, one leg bent, one arm on my face and the other one down to the floor caressing the edge of my long coat from time to time. My headache gradually took over and I gasped more than I breathed, worrying the Doctor when he came back to me, gently stroking my hair.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly.

"Worse…" I replied with a sob of pain.

He sat down beside me, one of his legs near my head, and pulled me to sit against him. He took his sonic screwdriver and scanned for a few seconds before reading the results. At the sound of the sonic I removed my arm from my face and watched him. His face became much darker after his knowledge of my condition. He put his screwdriver on the bench and looked at me, as if he wanted to remember me. And I was scared because it meant everything.

"Alvia …" Began the Doctor.

"I'm dying."

"No!" He denied in vain.

"Oh, please don't lie to me. I know that Rose's actions weren't without consequences."

"What do you mean?" He asked, frowning.

"Other than the paradox that has come true and the Reapers?" I tried to joke. "Listen… The fact that Rose's father is still alive changes everything and not just this world. But also my life. It was Jackie who took me home when her daughter was gone. If Peter was here, everything would have changed. Maybe because Rose would never have met you, and then you would never have had to save her. Or because they would eventually move out one day and nobody would be there to collect me… but also the most important thing. If this world was disappearing today, I would be dead. For some reason something brought me here, but if this world doesn't exist anymore what would I become after my accident?"

"When did you think about that?" He said impressed.

"Doctor, I come from a generation who was born and grew up with the internet and have the ability to write and publish. You can't even imagine what's on sites like Tumblr, Ao3 and ." I giggled knowingly.

And that's true. On Tumblr and on Ao3 and is a whole community of Doctor Who fans who join under the Whovian banner. And I prefer not to describe what we could find, because it's not possible. We are like one of the hyenas in the Lion King. The other two being respectively Sherlock and Supernatural. Although, I still haven't started the last series.

The Doctor preferred not to question me on these sites, so he acquiesced on my reduced knowledge about paradoxes and time travel.

"All I can deduce from it, is that this paradox which has the possibility of destroying the world if one does nothing and I—who doesn't exist yet—don't mix well. Now tell me, how bad is it and how much time do I have left?"

He swallowed suddenly before answering me, shaking hands. To comfort himself or comfort me.

"Your organs seem to stop one by one and you have four hours left at most ..." he said in a shaking voice. "And only if ... if the current situation doesn't get worse. "

I said nothing. What could I say? I was going to die in about four hours, suffering more. I opened my mouth to say something but the only thing that escaped was a heartbreaking sob stifled by the Doctor when he took me properly in his arms. I took his leather jacket in my fists and sank into his chest as much as I could, crying loudly.

The Doctor consoled me as best he could. As I wiped my tears with a trembling hand, Jackie—who was holding her baby—approached us.

"Can you take care of her?" She asked, placing the baby in my arms.

She left without waiting for our answer. Rude.

"Right, because it's totally time to leave your baby to complete strangers and what's more, someone who isn't in good health ..."

The Doctor chuckled at my comment and took the baby in his arms before heading for the space at the back of the church. I followed him and as soon as I arrived, he helped me so that I was sitting at the same level as the landau. I was higher than the Doctor until he decided to sit down too on the wooden ledge. I smiled, finding a smile on the baby's face as she laughed.

"This is the first time I've made a baby laugh …"

"Really?"

"One of my aunts had false twins. Once I had to take care of them it was a nightmare, I had one in my arms not knowing what to do! I am so bad with children."

"That bad? I can't believe you," smiled the Doctor.

"It's true! I'm such an idiot when it comes to children. It runs everywhere, makes noise, and cries for nothing. It's not like I didn't know what I was talking about. I went through this stage! Yeah no, leaving me with a child from 0 to 16 years old is not a good idea."

"Why 16 years old?"

"Generally at that age in France you start to be independent, work, revise for the baccalaureate and think about the future ... not to mention everything about love! On that point, I'm clearly not an expert."

"Ok I understand. No child and no lovers," guessed the Doctor crossing his arms.

"I said nothing about the subjects of love. I am open! It's just that ... the last years I lived were more focused on my studies and my series, I didn't really mind that ..."

As I looked at the wall in front of me, the Doctor decided to remain silent. As I felt my strength leave me little by little, I stuck to the Doctor, resting my head against his shoulder as best I could, given the difference in size. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer, so I could enjoy his warmth as I let out a tired sigh. The Doctor was talking to the baby when footsteps approached us and Rose appeared in my vision. The blonde looked at her much younger self, fascinated.

"Jackie asked us to keep it," he informed. "How times change, if she knew who I was she wouldn't trust me."

"And I'd better be careful," confessed Rose. "I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken!" She laughed softly.

Not impressed by his comment, I only raised my eyebrows.

Rose moved suddenly to touch the baby but the Doctor pulled her back abruptly, his anger against her resurfacing. Rose looked at the offended Doctor, hurt at being violently sidelined for acting like a stupid girl. Anyone with a little common sense would know that touching one's self in the past is not a good idea, especially when the same person says it creates wounds in time itself.

"Don't touch the baby!" He growled as the reaper shrieked a little louder. "You're both the same person and that's a paradox, and we don't want a paradox happening. Not with these things outside. Anything news, anything weird, any disturbance in time makes them stronger. The paradox might let them in and kill Alvia at the same time."

"Can't do anything good, can I?" She muttered.

"Now that you mention it, yes. So, don't… touch… the baby!" Ordered the Doctor, addressing Rose as if she were an idiot

"I'm… not… stupid!" Contradicted Rose with narrowed eyes.

"You could fooled us," I sneered before coughing, spitting up my lungs.

"You can talk," she retorted, turning suddenly to me. "What have you been doing from the beginning except resting as if nothing had happened?"

"I'm bloody dying, Blondie! I won't run a marathon when I don't have long to live!"

She stepped back a bit, incomprehension on her face. The Doctor told Rose the consequences of her actions on my health, and after receiving the information she didn't know what to do. The Doctor sighed, running a hand over his face.

"I don't have a plan, nothing. No idea. I don't know what to do…" he lamented.

I put my arm around his waist and my other hand took his as I approached for a hug, comforting him as best as possible.

"You'll find something, I whispered. You're the Doctor, you always find a way ... even if it's at the last moment."

"The entire Earth is being sterilised. This, and other places like it, are all that's left of the human race. We might hold out for a while, but nothing can stop those creatures. They'll get through in the end. The walls aren't that old. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening, my people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And I will know the same destiny…"

During the time he had spoken I had not looked away from him. His gaze showed his abandonment of the situation, not knowing what else to do to save us. Rose had tears in her eyes having understood how much her act had destroyed the world, if not the reality of this universe.

"If I'd knew…" groaned Rose.

"Tell me you're sorry…"

"I am…" She snorted. "I really am. I'm sorry. "

I pulled away so the Doctor could put a hand on her cheek. He smiled and pulled her into his arms for an apologetic hug that they both needed. Rose hugged tightly and I could see Baby Rose being really attentive to the exchange in front of her, in fact I think she was fascinated. It's kind of fun. My fun was short-lived because I felt intense heat from my chest, burning me and I hissed from this sudden sharp pain. I pulled the necklace out of my t-shirt before lifting my chain carrying a tungsten ring and my Tardis key that shone brightly with a glowing gold color.

The Doctor who had heard my hiss had turned away from Rose and stared wide-eyed at the TARDIS key, hope returning to his eyes. I picked up my necklace without the key touching my skin again and the Doctor took the chain, lifting it to the height of his eyes.

"It's the TARDIS key! It's still connected to the TARDIS!

"Told you, you always find a way out."

The Doctor smiled fully, his good mood resurfacing. He grabbed the back of my head with his free hand and kissed my forehead. I blushed at the touch of his lips on my forehead. Yup! Definitely a crush on the Doctor.

"Alvia, you are fantastic!"

The Doctor went to a high platform. You know, the place where priests, pastors and all the rest make their religious speeches. The Doctor spoke to the remaining guests who had all sat down to listen to him. He waved my necklace to show that we would not die here today. Which is pretty good news for me. As I said before, I want to die old in my sleep. I would have been the man who quoted Tyrion Lannister on how I would like to die. _In my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a maiden's mouth around my cock, at the age of eighty._ The Doctor explained the situation to others despite the fact that almost everyone didn't understand what he was saying. After asking for a battery and reloading the one that the groom passed to him, the Doctor began to make a complicated and ultra-delicate contraption with the battery and the key. He basically wanted to find the place where the lock of the TARDIS would be, to insert the key and make Sexy appear and repair the church around us. It was when I heard the creaking of the TARDIS that I let out a laugh of joy, I had missed that sound so much! The TARDIS was materializing little by little when the Doctor went up on the platform and ordered everyone not to touch the key or the TARDIS at the risk of being zapped and fuck up any means of survival.

The only problem was the time of materialization. God was it long. I asked the Doctor, worried, if I would still be alive when the TARDIS was back. He laughed softly answering me that, yes, I was going to survive. So, we went back to the bottom, waiting. Rose leaned over to the Doctor to ask him.

"When time gets sorted out…"

"Everybody here forgets what happened. And don't worry, the thing that you changed will stay changed."

Uh, yeah, ok. And how am I going to survive in London? I'm sure Jackie, as generous as she can be, will not pick me up with her husband who is still alive. I mean, it's a mouth to feed and I know they don't run on gold. Although, if everything goes as in the episode, Peter will die again, as time wanted. I don't want to sound like a fucking insensitive sociopath or anything, but I would be much more reassured if he died. For the timeline of Rose and I, but also for the future, cyberman, Doomsday, Journey's End...

"You mean I'll still be alive," interjects Peter from behind us.

Rose turned to him and I put my arms on the back of the chair, face on my arms.

"When am I supposed to be dead?"

Rose looked at him without saying anything and Pete nodded understanding. He wasn't stupid. He could make the connection.

"That's why I haven't done anything with my life. Why I didn't mean anything."

"It doesn't work like that."

"Rubbish! I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's all my fault."

"No, it's my fault," countered Rose quickly, putting her hand on her father's arm.

"No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault."

Jackie suddenly appeared in the conversation, a disgusted look on her face. Now the confusion began. Ô Joie.

"Her dad? How are you her dad? How old were you, twelve? Oh, that's disgusting!"

I saw the Doctor roll his eyes and I understood. Family dramas? Not very much for me, thank you. The Doctor stood up and held out his hand to help me up. I managed to recover when the TARDIS started to appear but strangely she disappeared a little.

"Jacks, listen ...This is Rose," tried Pete.

"Rose? How sick is that?!" Spat Jackie softly, angry and upset. "You give my daughter a name already used? How many are like that? You call them all Rose?"

"Oh for God's sake, look! It's the same Rose!"

Pete took the baby from her mother's arms to place her in Rose's arms. The Doctor intervened, but it was too late. He pulled the baby out of Rose's arms but a Reaper appeared in the chapel. People screamed in fear and everyone gathered behind the Doctor, except me. The appearance of the creature made me lose all my strength and I fell to the ground. My vision became extremely vague, almost black. I could hardly breathe and I gasped as I coughed to get air into my lungs. I heard the Doctor speak to that thing and in a burst of courage, stupidity or anything else I got up and sprinted to push him to take his place. The last thing I remember is someone screaming and black suddenly invading me as I was eaten—disappearing from the whoniverse.

* * *

As the Doctor spoke to the parasite of time, he heard someone running. And as the creature rushed over him, he felt himself thrown and he fell to the side. In his fall, his eyes met Alvia's, who had taken his place. He screamed her name but she was gone, devoured and consumed by the Reaper. The guests screamed in horror and started running for their lives. The Reaper flew up in the air, walked around the church and collided with the semi-transparent TARDIS before disappearing—TARDIS included. The key didn't shine and the necklace fell to the ground.

The Doctor went to the necklace and retrieved it. His thumb caressed the now cold key. He seemed numb by the shock. He didn't hear Rose cry because of what had unfolded, nor did he see Rose get caught in the arms of his father. He ignored everything that wasn't him and the ring's necklace and the key he held in his hand.

He went to the stairs of the chapel before sitting down; giving up all hope of survival. He clasped the necklace in one of his hands and brought it to his trembling lips. He lowered his head, paying no attention to the rest of the world. He could not save them anymore—he did not want to. The only thing he could do was open the doors and hope that death would be fast. He even wondered if he would feel the same pain Alvia felt at the time of his death. Alvia...

He closed his eyes and trembled imperceptibly. She was dead and he could not do anything about it. She had warned him from the start that it was a bad idea—that she didn't want to be here. But he was too confident in his ability, had ignored his fears and worse, he had insulted her. Because of him, she fell ill, dying slowly in pain; because of him she sacrificed herself for nothing. It was her, however, who had the knowledge, her who was right from the start. And now she's gone.

* * *

Where am I?

There is nothing here. No high. No low. No left or right. Or is it the opposite?

No color. No darkness. And yet it's so bright. But dark at the same time.

Am I standing? Or lying down? Maybe sitting?

I can't hear myself breathing. I don't hear my heart pumping my blood. I feel nothing. I don't feel pain anymore. I'm hot and I'm cold. Am I dead?

Where am I? What is this place?

I looked for the last events in my memory. Aah ... yes ... I was devoured instead of the Doctor. I remember. Am I in the belly of the creature? Or in a kind of nothingness? Void? I have no answer to this question.

In the blink of an eye the atmosphere changed around me, I went from nothing to ... my house? Am I back home? After all that I lived? How did I arrive at my home?

I hear a sound, glasses that bang gently. I walk into my house, passing in the familiar hall and arriving in the open living room. It's early evening and I see my family. My father, my mother and my paternal grandmother. They're drinking, nibbling, talking, and happy. I see my dog, my sweet little dog, which I miss so much. He is between my father's legs, waiting for a piece of Spanish ham or a salty biscuit. They all look so happy, as if they had never been made aware of my death, of my disappearance.

I wanted to join them, and when I went to pet my dog, my hand became translucent and passed through him. My heart broke a little. I couldn't touch them? Why live such a hell then?

But my nightmare didn't stop there, not like that. It's when my grandmother asked my parents a question that my heart was finally broken and one of my biggest fears became real.

"So, you still do not plan to have children?"

Their negative response pierced me from all sides. Yet everything in the house indicated that I lived here, my room was still there, with posters of Doctor Who, Sherlock, Doctor Strange and Manga. With my paintings including the wave of Kanagawa I had for my 18 year birthday. My figurines of Harry Potter, MCU and Doctor Who, including two TARDIS. My books and all my drawing stuff and my clothes.

They had forgotten me, I had been stricken from their lives ... 18 years old almost 19 erased as have erased a message. I had been erased from their memories as Rory had been from Amy.

My tears kept flowing. I screamed, shouted that it was not fair. But nobody heard me, I was only a ghost, a shadow. I rolled into a ball, hiding my face in my lap, clawing my head and my hair with my hands. I was real but I was no longer for my family, my friends ... I was nothing. The person I had been before Alvia no longer exists.

My ordeal seemed to end when my room slowly disappeared, as if Thanos had reduced my world to ashes with a snap of his fingers. My body seemed so light, lifeless, gradually becoming consistent. I do not know when I started to breathe again, but it was like rising to the surface after diving as low as possible into the abyssal ocean, without air.

When I blinked, I was back in the church. My tears that had flowed hadn't existed. My cheeks were free of moisture. People were observing something going on outside. But at the entrance to the church was the Doctor. He didn't know that I was back. So, I advanced silently by his side, to take his hand in mine.

When our hands touched his stiffened for a moment, surprised, and he turned to me. He stared at me for a moment, his eyes wide and suddenly caught me in his arms, holding me tightly against him—his arms around my waist and back. I did the same, running my arms around his neck and thrusting my face into his shoulder. My feet flew off the floor as he lifted me up.

"I didn't think I would see you again," he whispered in my ear.

One of my hands gently stroked his hair and he put me down. I moved slightly to offer him a smile. He took my hand and we joined Rose who was standing near her father. He didn't let go of my hand all the way to the TARDIS, who had come back.

Later in the evening, Rose decided to spend some time with her mother at the estate. The Doctor who had promised not to leave, had parked the TARDIS on the roof. I decided not to leave the TARDIS that night. I also decided to lock myself in my room. I was currently in the shower and had been for an hour. The water was hot against my skin but it allowed me to forget the cold that I felt today. I got out of the shower and put on my night clothes. I rubbed my hair gently in a towel to remove the water before settling into my bed. I took my headphones and my phone and put on some music. I didn't pay attention to what I had put on, but anything was good to distract me.

I listened to so much of the Doctor Who's soundtrack on one of my personal playlists, that I didn't pay attention to the time passing. I didn't, of course, hear the Doctor knock on my door and enter my room because I didn't give him an answer.

It was when his hand rested on my shoulder that I jumped in surprise. I removed my headphones almost tearing them. I had turned to see him sit on the edge of my bed, he was not wearing his leather jacket. His eyes were worried.

"Are you all right? I haven't seen you since our return in the TARDIS. "

Not trusting my voice I gently nodded. But since I was about to be in tears, the Doctor knew that I was lying to him. He put his hand on my cheek, turning my face to his.

"Tell me what's going on, Alvia ... please."

I swallowed hard before opening my mouth.

"I saw them ... my parents ... I was in a sort of darkness, Void before appearing in my house as a ghost ... I couldn't touch them, nor talk to them ... But I could see them and hear ... and ... and ... they forgot me! I burst into tears. I was stricken from their memories! I no longer exist for them!"

Crying with hot tears, the Doctor caressed my back while murmuring comforting words.

"I have nothing left! ... No house ... no family!" I cried.

The Doctor held me closer, understanding the feelings. He was alone too, and he never would have wanted someone to feel almost the same. His people were dead and I was dead for my world judging by the suppressed memories and all traces of myself vanishing. It was as if I had crossed a spatio-temporal fissure.

Tired by my tears and sorrow, I fell asleep in the Doctor's arms. I didn't see him settle me in my bed and take my phone to stop the music. I didn't see him freeze for a moment when he saw the cover of the album of the music playing before pressing the stop button.

I didn't see when he rested the phone on my bedside table before leaving my room. My phone showed Gallifrey with 12 TARDISs in the air and the Doctor's twelve regenerations from the first to the eleventh—integrating the one he didn't consider as the Doctor—all of them looking back at Gallifrey except the eleventh who was looking at the camera. The phone displayed this image before turning off a few minutes later.


	8. The Empty Child

It's me again! Thanks Bored411 who corrected me. At this rate, it's easy to catch up with the gap I've made in writing my chapters. XD

did I tell you that I had a deviantart where I publish illustrations (that i made) of this fanfiction? Here is my name on this site, because the links never work here.

alvia-the-ginger.

Anyway, thanks for your reviews! I don't know what to say to you, so I leave you here, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Several months had passed since the incident with the Reapers. For about a month, I was in a sort of mourning, more like a depression. I ate less than usual, I didn't make sarcastic or humorous remarks or references to pop culture. I even ended up worrying Rose! The Doctor ended up taking things into his hands and took me to a heavenly planet that glowed like a blue firefly at night. He had asked me for an explanation, or he would take me back. After discussing how I felt, how I was going to live with this weight on my conscience, everything is back to before. I was again the small red"haired girl who liked to comment, criticize the Doctor's conduct by reminding him that he had a driving manual, who loved sweet black tea and chocolate. I was again the girl I was before but I had this sadness in my eyes, a kind of shadow that anyone who had a great sorrow possessed. The Doctor had that shadow in his eyes, but mine wasn't so pronounced.

During these last few months, we ran for our lives many times, visited alien markets, explored planets and whole systems across time and space. I even met important human figures: JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling, Pythagoras, Hippocrates ... and it is in some ways thanks to me that the oath of Hippocrates exists, though I didn't study to become a doctor. What was funny was that the Doctor also took the oath, but since the very first oath was like the promise he made by taking his name, I do not think it changed much.

I say several months, but in fact I completely lost the notion of time. All I know is that a lot of time had passed because of my hair. I, who had previously a pixie cut, had my hair now come down to the middle of the neck. I had to wear a rubber band on my wrist, because sometimes I would feel my hair tickle my neck. It would absolutely be necessary for me to go to the hairdresser when we head back to see Jackie and Mickey.

I tugged on a lock of hair with my fingers, watching the length in the mirror of my bathroom. My hair, though still slightly damp, waved slightly and I loved it (if I had to compare my cut with that of an actress, it would be the cut of Jodie Whittaker as thirteenth Doctor but a little more wavy and red). On one side, I had silver"colored hair that contrasted. I always joked that it was my Targaryen side coming out. Speaking of Targaryen, I'd seen the last two seasons of Game of Thrones, too. I loved the end and I still wonder if it is similar to that of my old world.

After studying my reflection in the mirror, satisfied with my cut, I went to my dressing room. I studied my clothes for a few minutes, wanting to have a style a little different from usual. I took a navy blue long sleeve shirt and a slim pair of leggings that were embroidered on the front and the side of the thighs. The embroidery was red cherry blossoms and a fox made in a Japanese style. I had slipped on my pair of red Converse that were well worn—the white of the rubber had turned almost beige and had black traces and dust. The soles were almost smooth and the fabric was a little dirty but the red was always bright. I decided to put on a little makeup, putting on eyeliner and very little mascara.

I barely had time to put my mascara on my desk when a violent tremor made me collapse on the ground. I ran for my coat and phone, and then ran out of my room—sprinting to the console where the Doctor and Rose were. The Doctor was driving the Tardis while Rose was circling the console, trying to hold on to something. I threw my coat to one of the coral pillars and joined them.

"Why is the TARDIS shaken in all directions as if it were a salt shaker?" I exclaimed. "Is there a problem? Nah, in fact there is definitely a problem, what is the emergency?"

"Something hit the TARDIS," Rose said after being taken aback from a shock.

"The TARDIS detected it on a mauve alert," the Doctor explained.

"Mauve?"

"Colour universally recognized for the danger," I replied with a big smile.

Oh, how I was looking forward to this adventure! Not necessarily for the gas mask kid who was looking for his mom calling with the most creepy voice possible, but more for Captain Jack Harkness. The only "fictitious" American captain I find fuckable. There's Steve Rogers too, but meh ... a little too pure and patriotic for me. Besides, Jack looks like a Disney prince who sleeps with other Disney prince.

The Doctor looked at me quickly before returning to his screen not forgetting to ask me the question that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"Foreknowledge?"

"Oh, yes! Oh, you're gonna love this one!" I laughed happy. "So many references that I could use!"

The Doctor smiled, happy to see me fully thrilled and impatient but also because he too became impatient to see what awaited him and what I had promised him. The excitement of a good and happy adventure.

And what was rather amazing with Rose, is that despite this kind of discussion I had with the Doctor, she never asked us what we were talking about. Which means that she still had no idea where I came from.

"What happened to red?" Ask Rose.

"It's typically human. For others it's camp. Oh, the number of misunderstandings it creates, those red alerts!"

"But if the red is camp, the lgbt flag is what?" I said confused.

"Just a rainbow flag that looks pretty and represents a big community. "

I saw Rose silently pronounce the word "lgbt" wondering what it was. I got close to her and the Doctor to see on the screen a large cylinder that was crossing the space quickly. That's why the TARDIS is in motion, the Doctor was trying to drive the TARDIS alone. Maybe I should ask him to teach me to drive Sexy, it would be useful in a crisis.

"I connected the TARDIS to this thing by hacking it's flight computer. Wherever it goes, we go there too."

"Is it safe?"

"Totally."

The Doctor went to mash some buttons and the console exploded suddenly, making me back away quickly so as to not to be burned.

"I would not call this trip safe, but at the same time, have we had at least one safe adventure?" I declared teasing our way of life.

"Ok, reasonably. I should have said reasonably."

"Still not the right description," I maliciously sang.

Still watching the screen, I saw the cylinder enter the Time Vortex, just like the Doctor. Moreover, speaking of the Time Vortex, I can't even describe it because it looks like all the Vortexes of the opening series from 2005, together, including that of the 13th Doctor. It was indescribable, literally.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no! It's jumping time tracks, it moved away from us!"

"And what exactly is that thing?" Rose finally asked

"No idea," answered the Doctor typing on the keyboard.

"Why are we pursuing it, then?"

"Why not?" I said.

"It's mauve, dangerous. And about 30 seconds from central London."

After following the cylinder, the Doctor finally began to materialize in London so that we could look for the thing in the city. I had time to put on my coat that had been on the coral, despite all the capsizing of Sexy, and removed a lock of hair from my face before going out.

"Do you know how long we can knock through space and time without having to bump into Earth?"

"Five days? Or is it just when there is no more milk?" Joked Rose.

And it doesn't get better with time, I swear everyone is attracted to this planet, seriously."

"Spoilers Alvia. So many species all over the universe and it has to come out of a cow!"

"If you're not satisfied, you can ask Sontarans to pass you milk. I heard that they can produce _magnificent quantities of lactic fluid.__"_

"Oh, now that's just disgusting Alvia …" he said with an air of disgust on his face.

I burst out laughing. He didn't even realize I was quoting someone.

It was dark, a little cold and wet. The Doctor looked around to finally go in one direction, moving us away from the TARDIS. As we walked, Rose and the Doctor were talking about the thing we were following not long ago. We were about a month late.

"So what's the plan? A detection of alien technologies?"

"Rose, it crashed in the middle of London in a big bang, I'm just going to ask."

"Right, because you're going to find someone to question at this hour …" I whispered, rolling my eyes.

The Doctor fumbled in his pocket to take out his famous psychic paper which he showed to Rose.

"Dr. John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids …" she read. "Psychic paper. It says…"

"What we want, I know, Rose."

I moved to see the paper and the Doctor showed it to me. The paper was initially white before finally showing me what the Doctor wanted to show. I read the words and I was fascinated by what I saw.

"Awesome!

"Not really Spock, you know? Asking?"

We arrived next to a door and we could hear music and laughter behind it. The Doctor took out his screwdriver and scanned the door to open it. He commented on Rose's t-shirt and she answered him. As they talked, I heard a child's voice calling for her mom. I glanced to see if they had heard and of course they did not. And the voice was much creepier in real life than in the series. I know someone who will surely have nightmares, in fact. It's me, by the way. Hi!

The Doctor finally opened the door and walked in followed by Rose. He called to me so I could come but I didn't move. I put my hand on my face, sighing.

"Of course ... Of course, it's up to me to get caught by Jack in the air! The things we do for those we love," I complained.

So I turned quickly, looking for the ladder to climb on the roof where the kid was, whose name I forgot. James ... Jonah ... Jaime ... Jamie! The kid was really high up, how could he climb that high? I mean, teleporting is one thing but getting on the roof of a house? The kid is not Harry Potter who escaped his cousin. A rope entered my field of vision and looking up I saw that it was the damn balloon.

No, really, the things I do for the sake of the character ... Hey! I sound like Jaime Lannister. Except that I don't throw kids through a tower. Although I might well do it, but morally and ethically it's not me at all and then I risk becoming like him. Yeah, no ... bad idea.

I climbed the rope holding myself as best as possible, since I never did well in sports. I did some climbing, so I know there are things you can't do with a rope, but it's way too thick to do anything. I clumsily rolled the rope around one of my legs and swore by feeling the cold biting through my coat, which I forgot to close. A gust of wind made the balloon move and any chance of leaving was reduced to nothing. I just had to hope that I didn't fall and die.

Well, despite the situation the view is quite nice, if we forget the Nazi planes bombing the city quickly approaching me. Live the story, he said. It will be fascinating he said.

I flew over London, which became more and more chaotic as the number of Nazi planes increased with the number of explosions. The city that was previously so quiet ago was turned into hell of fire and ashes. St. Paul's Cathedral was under me when I felt my hands hurt, burning on the thick rope. I also held the rope so tight that my knuckles were white and hurt. The planes passed too close to me in my opinion and I was not grateful. I was really going to fall because of those shits there.

"Damn it, I hope Jack will be here if I don't give up on my life!" I mumbled suddenly worried.

I calculated my remaining strength for this ride, but people, I suck at math. My strength suddenly vanished and I held the rope, screamed in fear as I fell until I was caught by a blue beam. It was time!

"It's okay! I've got you!"

"No shit Sherlock! Bring me back to the mainland!"

"I just program the descent model, try to stay still and keep your hands and feet inside the field!"

"What do you think I was going to do? Harlem Shake!" I retorted sarcastically.

"Oh, and could you turn off your phone? It interferes with my instrument."

I snorted but I still took my phone and put it in airplane mode. Jack seemed to think that I had turned it off since he thanked me anyway.

"At the risk of repeating myself, let me down quickly!"

"Are you ready? Hold tight!"

"To whaaAAAAAAT!"

I was pulled brutally to the ground, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation. And some time later I was caught by a pair of strong arms. I coughed suddenly while being swayed gently.

"It's good. I'll hold you! You're fine! You're fine!" Jack reassured me. "The field had to shake your head a little."

I glanced at Jack to see that he had his bastard Colgate smile. This wasn't me who described Jack like that. It's on the official description of Doctor Who.

"Oh my god, stop smiling you're give me a headache," I grumbled. "It's not possible to be so happy during this time."

"Maybe I smiled because I have a beautiful woman in my arms."

"All the girls are beautiful for you, let go. Now please let me stand up."

"You seem to know me, but I don't remember to have the opportunity to meet you before."

"Don't worry, me either."

Jack rested me but still with his arms around me in case I could faint, which seemed rather a good idea since it seemed that my vision became more and more vague. If I had to faint with Jack in my presence, I may as well make an imitation of the 13th Doctor right after his regeneration. Besides the Doctor was not there for the moment. I put my index finger in one of my nostrils inhaling deeply while raising a hand to stop Jack in his tracks.

"I think I'll faint in two minutes, wait! Forget the two minutes. Nineteen seconds ... oh, this nose is so unreliable."

I really didn't think I had the perfect timing but I did faint at the right moment.

I woke up to find myself lying in a bed in the dark, despite some small lights of color and beeps coming from my left. I ran my hand over my face, remembering my last memories to sigh, reminding myself that I was with Jack Harkness. I got up and stood up, holding onto the cold metal wall of the ship.

"Better?" Asked Jack softly

"Yeah, although fainting wasn't part of the program ... Is there a way to turn on the lights?"

At my words, Jack did what I asked, and the ship lit up with a pleasant light. It was like lighting two bedside lamps in a room, it lights up a little but nothing more. But I did see Jack's perfect face, which was the perfect copy of John Barrowman. His hair was dressed in a cut of the time and he wore an American aviator outfit from the Second World War. Not that I know a lot about this period. Jack showed his bastard smile, happy and flirting. And he was not wearing his army coat.

I walked closer, arms folded before letting myself fall gently to the side to hold myself against a wall. A slight mocking smile settled on my lips as I continued to watch Jack. I did not say anything until he finally broke down and finally spoke.

"So ... Don't bother to thank me for saving your life, that's quite normal," boasted the 51st century man.

"It's normal to save a girl who wandered in the air with a balloon during the Blitz in London during the Second World War? I wonder what is not commonplace for you…"

"And you're clearly not a girl from the region ... mobile phone, clothes with fabrics and a style that doesn't exist yet …" He examined. "Who are you then?

"You are the gentleman, you first," I said, gesturing.

He fumbled in his pockets before taking out what at first seemed to be his ID card or possibly a psychic paper.

"Captain Jack Harkness. 133rd Squadron Royal Air Force. American Volunteer."

"Liar," I sang, not even bothering to read the paper.

I returned the paper to Jack, who sat up surprised.

"How do you know I'm lying?" He asked, frowning.

"First of all, you have a bloody spaceship and you seem to know how to use it, which is clearly not common during the 20th century! Then, you have just given me a piece of psychic paper, something that a friend of mine uses quite often, which offers me not—without subtlety—to do things with you which I am in the habit of refusing. My first argument being my age. I am too young for you. Also, the real Jack Harkness died during this war. You only took his name. And last thing, I know you in the future, isn't time travel wonderful?"

During all my explanation, Jack didn't say a word. But his mood fell when I mentioned that his name wasn't true and that I was talking about the time travel. His hand slipped slowly towards his weapon without pulling it out.

"You know me, then?" Guessed Jack.

"Calm down! No need to be on your guard. You can trust me ... well as much as you can trust a girl you still don't know. I am Alvia, by the way. Hello!"

"You know me in the future," he said, impatient.

"It is true what I said. Weeeell... In fact, I know that your future self knows me," I chatted. "And don't try to ask. Spoilers. Let's go back to the main subject and remove your hand from your weapon please, you're stressing me out."

"I could say the same, Alvia ... You seem to really know me well."

"Knowing is a big word," I rectified. "Let's say that I have the knowledge but not the experience of the practice. And really don't try to guess _le pourquoi du comment_, it's very complicated."

Jack withdrew his hand from his gun and I relaxed my muscles that tensed I don't know when. He glanced at the paper before giving an amused laugh.

"Never let your mind wander when you put psychic paper back," advised Jack laughing. "The paper you returned tells me that you are a girl who has a huge thing for English men preferably with an accent, deep voice, cheekbones or eyes with particular colors. And you don't have time for an American Disney prince who sleeps with other Disney princes."

"Oh merde..." I murmured shame as I put my hand on my now red face.

"Actually, the word you use is 'fantasy.'"

"Ok, stop. I don't need to hear more," I cut in, laughing in embarrassment. "Let's start from scratch, forgetting the psychic paper, okay?"

"That'd be better, wouldn't it?" He laughed as he got up.

I wanted to sit down somewhere and when I put my hand on the wall I pulled it off at once, shaking it and hissing in pain. Looking, I could see marks from burns. How could I miss this? No, really, I know I'm pretty resistant to pain, but coming from my hands that I was constantly moving about, how could I ignore that slightest bit of pain?

"The rope burned your hands?" He asked.

"Yeah ... have you some cream and bandages?"

"I've got better," says Jack, waving me forward. "May I have your hands for a moment?"

"As long as you treat me, you can have my hands," I said with humor.

Jack made me sit by his side and kept my hands in place by tying them with his scarf. He pressed a button behind him and a beep was heard before a sphere of golden mini fireflies appeared in my injured palms. They were magical and as the sphere changed size several times, a pleasant warmth was felt in my hands, as if I passed my hands in front of a fire. After a few seconds, Jack pressed the button again and everything disappeared, wounds gone like the magical fireflies.

"Nanogenes. Subatomic robot, in the air. They have just repaired three layers of your skin."

"Thank you very much," I said sincerely.

Jack stood up with a smile. "You can stop acting now. I can recognize a Time Officer from a kilometer away. "

Of course he takes me for a Time Agent ... Jack sometimes you're frustrating. Today more than ever.

"Although, I don't doubt your experience on the recognition of these Agents, I correct you at once I am only a lambda time traveler. I'm here because my friend decided to follow a purple thing that hit us."

"So, let's get to work and have a drink on the balcony."

Jack pulled out a bottle of champagne from I don't know where, and indicated to me the glasses that I had to take. He pushed a button and a door opened on top so he could go out. I followed him and as soon as my head was outside I could see that I was standing on something invisible, which is very disturbing for me. I don't know how I managed to stand up. In the end, Jack made his ship visible to everyone and he opened the bottle with a powerful blow before serving alcohol.

"First rules with the invisible ships, always park at a place that we can remember," I recited fascinated.

We sat on his ship and Jack took his time, drinking his glass.

"You don't drink?"

"I prefer to have my sharp senses and clear mind in business. You should do the same."

"I try never to talk business with a clear head," he said as he finished his glass before getting up. "Do you travel alone? Do you have the right to negotiate with me?"

"It all depends on what to negotiate," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I have something for the Time Agency. Something they would like to buy. Are you able to pay me?"

"As I said before, I'm not from The Time Agency. But keep going, you interest me. If you manage to convince me we will go see the head of my tour group."

"You aren't alone then?"

"Naah. I travel with a man and a woman. We're just friends, nothing else," I said before he said something. "But you might be interested in Rose ... She's blonde."

Jack raised his eyebrows, clearly interested. I wanted to check the time on my phone before remembering that the clock will unfortunately never be on time because of time travel; and it was too dark for me to read on my watch.

"I think it's getting late, what time is it?"

Jack took a camera out of his pocket and operated it. Big Ben suddenly lit up and rang.

"I don't think it's a good idea to attract Nazi planes here ..." I groaned.

Jack suddenly put his hands on my waist. Well yeah ... but no. I would like to say that I am flattered but since it's Jack, I can forget. I wanted to withdraw by putting my hands on him and pushing back but he grabbed one of my hands and kissed it.

"Jack …"

"Mm-hm?"

"If you don't let me go this second, I swear I will find a way to make you a eunuch."

No sooner said than done, Jack pulled back and before turning to me, gadget in hand.

"Do you like Glenn Miller?"

And besides hi strength... he really doesn't want to let me down for his con. A melody is played and Jack suddenly went back to my side to dance. I sighed with spite, relaxing slightly. More to enjoy this moment before returning to serious business. One of his hands rested on my back while the other held one of my hands. My free hand rested on his shoulder and I followed his swing.

"We are in 1941, at the peak of the Blitz. The German offensive is raging, but there are not only bombs falling from the sky: A fully equipped Chula warship, the last of its kind, armed to the teeth. And I know where it is because I parked it."

"Of course you do," I said sassily. "Isn't it impractical?"

"If the agency can offer a good price, I can go get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb will fall on it and destroy it forever. This is the deadlines and this is our deal. Shall we discuss money?"

"You know what?" I exclaimed suddenly.

"What?"

"You convinced me, let's go get my traveling companions, they are the ones who manage the money. But I have no idea where they are right now."

"No need to worry, I'll do a scan for aliens technologies."

I clapped my hands in appreciation, finally someone looking for alien technology! Not that I'm against asking people if they've seen something different, it's just that in the second world war, asking if something has fallen while making a big boom is perhaps not the best idea.

"Let me clarify one last little thing. You work on your own, if I understood correctly?"

"Oh, it's hard," he said suddenly taking me by the waist. "I prefer to see myself as a criminal."

"Okay, that's good. I got it. Now do what you have to do preferably by letting me go, please!" I growled suddenly.

He released me and pulled up one of his sleeves to hit his vortex manipulator. While the thing beeped continuously with a shrill sound, we went back inside. The manipulator stopped beeping, having found a source in a hospital. Jack put on his coat and I took the opportunity to close mine. I was a little cold.

"Your companions, who are they exactly?"

"Well, I told you about Rose. Her name is Rose Tyler, she is blonde and comes from London. Then there is the Doctor, just the Doctor."

"And what does this Doctor look like?"

"He's tall, wears a leather jacket all the time, and has a rather charismatic face, and he is much older than me."

Jack gave me a look and a smirk that seemed to insinuate something. And you know, despite what I think, guess etc. ... I'm not Sherlock, I can't deduce the emotions and subtleties of a face. Which makes me totally unaware of what Jack is trying to tell me.

He suddenly took my arm and teleported me to a building—a hospital of what I could see. So ... hospitals at night I have a pretty good deal of disagreement with, especially when it's during a war and a gas masked kid runs around the city looking for his mum.

Jack called out and I did the same. After five minutes, we were joined by the Doctor who was relieved to see me alive and healthy, as well as Rose who seemed less happy to see me but her discontent was forgotten when she saw Jack behind me.

"Good evening! We aren't interrupting?" Starts the American, holding out his hand to the Doctor. "Captain Jack Harkness. I have heard a lot about you. And you too, Rose Tyler," said Jack, winking at the blonde, who blushed and smiled.

"Stop it!" I said rolling my eyes. "Sorry, Doctor. I was found by him and he seems determined to believe that we are Time Agents. "

The Doctor nodded.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Doctor!"

Jack patted the Doctor in the shoulder warmly before leaving, taking Rose by his waist. He left the Doctor with me, puzzled.

"Time Agents?"

"He is rather stubborn, I grant it. He thinks we are because of my clothes and my phone."

"Where were you, by the way? We are in the middle of the Blitz. This is not the time to walk around."

"Who said I was walking?" I retorted, starting to walk. "I went to ride a damn balloon, there's no better way to see town," I snickered.

"What?"

"Never mind! More importantly, Harkness told me that the thing that struck us is a Chula ship."

"Chula?" Repeated the Doctor, stopping.

I waited for the Doctor before he started again quickly and he led us to the room where he was before. It was a large room with several single beds on which were lying patients and hospital staff, all wearing a gas mask. I shuddered.

The Doctor explained the situation when Jack asked why everyone was lying with the mask on his face. Jack decided to scan them with his manipulator which made its shrill sound as usual. A noise that I did not like too much since my ears buzzed when the scanner was on. Jack scanned one of the bodies before declaring.

"It's impossible. How could this happen?"

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" Asked the Doctor seriously.

"He said it was a warship," I said. "He stole it, of course, and dropped it somewhere where only he knows where it is and a bomb will fall on it unless we make him an offer."

"What kind of warship?" Continued the Doctor.

"Why is it important?" Shot Jack. "It has nothing to do with all of this!"

"On the contrary! It started where the bomb fell!" The Doctor roared angrily. "There is a big problem! What kind of warship?" He repeated.

"An ambulance!" Finally the captain let out, annoyed and angry before turning on his manipulator. "Look!"

A flickering blue hologram of the ship suddenly appeared over Jack's wrist.

"That's what you chased in the Time Vortex. It's a wreck! I wanted to make you think it was valuable, but it's empty, I'm sure. It's nothing but a shell. It was me who sent it to you. I saw your ship. I love this retro look, by the way. Nice panel. I sent you a bait."

"Bait?" Asked Rose.

"I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before being unmasked," explained Jack.

"It's not a warship?"

"There are ambulances in wars, Rose…" I hissed as if she was stupid for not knowing.

I caught a glare from her and Jack was watching Rose with a little condescension before moving to leave and turn around to tell us the whole truth.

"It's a con, a con and I'm a conman! I thought you were Time Agents but that's also wrong, huh?"

"At last he gets it," I said with disdain. "It's not for lack of having repeated it several times, but it seems that you don't listen. As I said, we are average time travellers," I finished with a gesture to us.

I heard a sound of disgust from Rose about how I described ourselves

"Ah ... I should've known, you make very local color, it's true. The girl with the flag, passes. But U-boat Captain! And I don't even talk about the fox girl, besides since we got here you looked at me strangely, what's wrong?" He finally got angry.

"I'm disappointed," I said simply uncrossing my arms and putting my hands in pockets.

I caught everyone's eye with my statement, of course, saying that I was disappointed in Jack would draw their questions. And what I said was true, I was disappointed with Jack. From the beginning, I expected him to be the Jack I knew in Doctor Who and in Torchwood, but this Jack is not bitter to have been abandoned, he is not the man who cannot die. He's not the one who takes care of me and makes sure that I can access things that I didn't think I could have: ID, access to the meeting at Downing Street. This Jack Harkness was young and I forgot to take that into account.

"And it's my fault, I was expecting too much of you but you're so young compared to the Jack I know."

"Let's talk about that, by the way! You say you know me but I think you've been lying to me all along," he pointed angrily.

"Me, Lying?" I exclaimed. "Have you seen yourself?! You planned to sell us a scam that caused a lot of damage here and refuse to take responsibility!"

"Everything that happened here has nothing to do with that ship and again, nothing with me!"

"The DNA of human beings is being rewritten because of an idiot ... and it's you!"

I heard Rose whisper to the Doctor how I knew about him, but the Doctor didn't answer her and instead he came to my side and spoke again. I took the opportunity to calm down.

"There is a kind of virus that converts human beings into these things," he said, nodding towards the bodies. "What we don't know is, why? What's the point? "

Rose went to observe one of the bodies, heading towards a nurse, when suddenly several bodies rose before everyone got up, calling for their mummy. My blood drained instantly from my face and I quickly approached the Doctor, not hesitating for a moment to take his hand as comfort. Despite my knowledge, this didn't prevent me from being afraid and feeling emotions. And our current situation was scary on the screen is clearly not reassuring in real life.

The bodies approached slowly but surely towards us. Jack and Rose joined, standing behind us and the Doctor pulled me behind him without letting go of my hand.

"Don't let them touch you," the Doctor informed.

" Why not?" Asked Jack.

"Cause you would become like one of them," I let go with a trembling voice.

The bodies came closer to us, like zombies. They called all their mothers in a macabre symphony. I closed my eyes, shaking his hand and his leather coat with my other hand.

* * *

here's the traduciton of the french sentences.

"... the why and how..."

"oh, shit..."


	9. The Doctor Dances

Here we go again ! Thank you Bored411.

The corrections go so fast that I don't know what to tell you! XD

Anyway, enjoy ! don't forget to leave me a review if you like (and if you want!)

* * *

"Go to your room!" Scolded the Doctor as if he was addressing a disobedient child.

I opened my eyes in surprise at his intervention, hope blooming in my chest. The masked people stopped talking and moving at once.

"Go to your room!" Repeated the Doctor.

The zombies bent their heads to one side like a young scolded child who didn't really understand everything.

"I mean it! I am very, very angry with you! You even made your mummy very sad!" He scolded, coming up to me and hugging me as if I were a crying mother.

Having no choice but to play his game, I put my hands on the eyes and lean forward a little, like a weeping angel. I simulated a sob that sounded really wrong, but seemed real to people with a gas mask. The bodies, by the way, looked at me since the Doctor mentioned me as their mother.

The Doctor suddenly pointed a random direction as he finished his act.

"Go... To… Your… ROOM!"

Miraculously, all turned away gently and returned to their beds without a sound. As soon as everyone was in bed and we were sure they weren't going to get back up, we relaxed. I sighed with relief and I landed harshly on the floor, enjoying the coolness of the stone.

"I'm very glad that worked. Those would've been terrible last words."

"By the way, do I look like a mother to you?" I asked to the Doctor.

"I had to improvise," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

I give up and I lay flat on the floor, my arms spread, legs crossed and my gaze on the ceiling. Rose went to sit next to me and Jack went to the free chair at the center. I unfortunately couldn't stay where I was because the Doctor grabbed my arm and pulled me up saying I shouldn't lie on the floor like a homeless person. Technically I am; I'm a homeless person. I've been squatting at Jackie's since I came in this world and I've been squatting in the TARDIS since he wanted me to be with him, although I'm starting to see the TARDIS as my new home recently.

I headed for the office, packing things up a bit before sitting on a table and crossing my legs. I looked at the Doctor, daring him to change my place.

"Why do they all wear gas masks?" Asked Rose a little bit confused.

"They're not," corrected Jack. "They're made of flesh and blood."

Rose looked a bit disgusted at the revelation and I suddenly started thinking about something. The transformation must have been extremely painful. I didn't want to imagine the pain and the fear of transformation.

"How was your con supposed to work?" Asked the Doctor.

"It's really very simple," began Jack. "I'm looking for a harmless piece of space-junk. I'm attracting a Time Agent who thinks it's expensive and we set a price. As soon as he has paid half, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroying it forever. He'll never see his purchase, he won't know that I have conned him. I buy him a drink with his money while together we curse his_ bad_ luck. The perfect con," finished Jack.

"Yeah… perfect," admitted the Doctor reluctantly.

"The London Blitz is great for self-cleaning, but Pompeii is nice for holidays. But it is better to set an alarm clock for volcano day!" Laughed Jack.

The Doctor said nothing and kept staring at him, boiling with anger.

I think I laughed the first time Jack made this joke in the series, but after seeing the episode of Pompeii, I always had trouble with this joke. He didn't know, after all, that so many were killed in order to save the planet. The Doctor and Donna, did this together.

Jack stopped laughing when he realized that the Doctor was giving him a look of disapproval.

"Look around you. This is what your piece of space-junk did."

"It was a rusty medical carrier, it was empty." Said Jack, defending himself again and again.

The Doctor turned and started walking towards the door.

"Alvia. Rose."

"We leaving?" Asked Rose.

"We go up," corrected the Doctor, waving his fingers pointed at the ceiling.

Rose followed the Doctor quickly, and as I came down from the table Jack grabbed my wrist and spoke.

"I even programmed the flight computer so that it wouldn't fall on anyone. I didn't hurt anyone!" Defended Jack. "I don't know what's going on here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it. Alvia, I assure you it's not my fault."

"I'll tell you what's going on," said the Doctor. "You forgot to turn on your alarm, it's the volcano day!"

A siren went off in the distance. I never thought I'd hear that sound, even in wartime.

"What's that?" Asked Rose.

Seriously, Rose? How much don't you know about your history? A siren like that? Especially at this time? _It's obvious_, I thought without saying anything. And yet the words were on my tongue, ready to go out.

Sometimes Rose really shocked me. I know she hadn't finished school but I wonder if she was even paying attention in class.

"The all-clear," said Jack without emotion.

"I wish," assaulted the Doctor looking at him before leaving with Rose at his heels.

I freed myself from the soft hold of Jack.

"You programmed it so that it didn't fall on anyone alive …" I said softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, Jack… Everything…"

The Doctor called me and I had to go join him. I nodded and Jack went with me to join them. How many times did I mention that the Doctor was fast? Not enough, I think. Jack, Rose and I were running to follow him and I don't know how, we managed to lose him. I was in the back of course, running. Rose and Jack passed a staircase where footsteps sounded, so I made a slight turn to climb the stairs where the Doctor was. He leaned back and suddenly spoke, making both stop on their paths.

"Have you got a blaster?"

Arriving at the stairs, Jack answered affirmatively, before climbing. We ran up six floors. I wasn't physically ready to do it, so when we arrived at door 802 I leaned over my lap, hacking up my lungs and panting for air. Jack unlocked the door at the Doctor's order, when he didn't want to use his screwdriver. Jack's weapon made a perfect square where the lock was a few seconds ago. The door opened.

"Sonic Blaster, 51st century," observed the Doctor. "Villengard's Weapons Factory?"

"You've been to the factories?" Asked Jack surprised.

A smile settled on my lips as I remembered the adventure I had with the Doctor. Rose had gone to visit one of her friends who was getting married at that time. The Doctor took the weapon for a look.

"Once," he confessed.

"You're lucky. The factories are gone now, destroyed. The main reactor went critical and wiped out everything on the way."

The Doctor smiled and we shared a look. We knew what had really happened. And you know what? I wouldn't say a word, it's a secret! _My _secret. The Doctor returned the weapon to Jack.

"Like I said, once. There is a banana grove there, now. I like bananas. Bananas are good."

I quietly sang the words "Vive les bananes" by Ray Ventura, to accompany the words of the Doctor on bananas. The Doctor and I went back to the room while Rose and Jack stood in the doorway talking a little before joining us. I turned on the light so that we could see that the room was ransacked. The window was broken and there were objects all over the floor, on the other side I could see sheets of papers on the floor and the wall, as well as a crooked bed.

"What do you think?" The Doctor asked Jack.

"Something got out there…"

"Yeah, and…?"

"Something powerful, angry…" he finally said as he moved.

He entered the other room and was shocked by the scene he saw; Rose joined him.

"A child?" He questioned, surprised. "I guess that explains 'mummy.'"

"But how could a child do that?" Rose interjected, confused.

The Doctor pressed the buttons of the recordings and it was activated. There was the voice of an old man talking to a child. The child in the gas mask.

"**Do you know where you are?"**

**"Are you my mummy?"**

**"Do you know what's around you? Can you… see?"**

**"Are you my mummy?"**

**"What do you want? Do you know…"**

**"I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? I want my mummy! Are you my mummy?**"

I moved into the room, approaching the walls and carelessly stroking the drawings, all representing the boy's mom. Closing my eyes, I felt like I was feeling the power of the child, who would continue to look for his mother. Because that's all he wants, his mummy.

"Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"

"This voice, I've heard it before…" I said softly.

"Of course you do, Alvia." Replied the Doctor understandingly. "I've heard it too."

"Mummy?"

"Why always, 'are you my mummy?' Like he doesn't know," commented Rose.

"Mummy?"

"Why doesn't he know?" She continued.

"Are you there, mummy? Mummy?"

The Doctor entered the room as well and paused for a moment before turning in circles, passing his hand quickly over the walls before removing it. The tape was still spinning, and the child calling for his mother was unsettling. Rose worried when the Doctor turned a little faster.

"Don't you sense it?"

"Sense what?" Asked Jack confused.

"Coming out of the walls, can't you feel it?" He asked a little more strongly, just as worried.

I closed my eyes again trying to feel something, and I did.

"It's like waves ... waves of power," I declared fascinated, drawing the Doctor's surprise at feeling the power.

"Don't be stupid," Rose sneered wickedly.

"Shut up, Rose. You lower the IQ of the whole hospital."

Her face turned red. She was going to reply when the Doctor cut her off.

"Funny little human brains, how do you get around in those things?"

"When he's stressed, he likes to insult species," commented Rose for Jack.

"And he sounds racist," I added.

"Rose, Alvia. I'm thinking," he said pacing in the small room.

But Rose continued.

"If he cuts himself while shaving, he spends half an hour insulting life forms he's cleverer than…"

"Remember Rose, there are children living rough around the bomb site. They go out during the air-raids looking for food."

I suddenly froze hearing a little repetitive "shlik-shlik." The Doctor kept talking as I turned to the sound and stopped moving completely.

"He's afraid. Terribly afraid, and powerful. He doesn't know it yet, but it'll do…" he said before giving a chuckle. "He has the power of a God, and I just sent him to his room."

"Doctor…" I murmured without being heard, staring at the child who was staring at the Doctor's back.

Rose complained about the noise and asked what had happened. The child was talking to us and nobody was paying attention.

"Doctor," I repeat.

"End of the tape. It ran out about 30 seconds ago."

"Doctor," I said a little more urgently, fear in my voice.

"I sent him to his room," he finally declared. "This is his room."

"DOCTOR!"

This time he looked at me, but I didn't deign to take a look at him. The Doctor spun around in the direction I was looking and saw the child in the mask.

"Are you my mummy?"

The child looked at Rose, seeing her as a possible mom before looking at me and leaning his head to one side.

"Mummy?"

Jack moved slowly toward the center, joining us, banana in hand.

"Okay ... at my signal ... make for the door. NOW!"

He aimed at the kid with the banana before realizing the trickery. The Doctor, with a smile, took out the blaster and aimed at a wall where a square of emptiness appeared, leaving us an emergency exit.

"Go! Now! Don't drop the banana!"

"Why not?" Jack asked as he jumped into the hole in the wall, followed by Rose.

I quickly joined the other side, watching the Doctor run and join us.

"Good source of potassium!"

Jack grabbed his gun and closed the hole as the child entered the room we were in just before. I leaned against the wall sighing with relief, while Rose ran her hands through her hair, relieved as well.

"Digital rewind," Jack simply said, throwing the banana at the Doctor. "Nice trick, by the way."

"It's from the Groves of Villengard. I thought it was appropriate."

"There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?" Asked the captain, skeptical.

The Doctor didn't confirm or deny it. He simply replied that the bananas were good. Suddenly, a crack appeared in the wall, where the kid was. He was hitting the wall.

"Oh fuck!"

"Language!" Growled the Doctor. "Let's go!"

We ran in one direction, following the Doctor before turning around because a wave of masked zombies calling for their mummies were heading towards us calmly. We went another direction, but it was also blocked by a horde coming towards us. We were caught in a trap, sandwiched on all sides. Jack frantically pointed his weapon in all directions and I had to stoop once to avoid it or take it in the face.

"My weapon can work as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and a triple enfolded sonic disruptor. Doc, what do you have?" Requested Jack quickly.

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and suddenly seemed a little ashamed.

"I've got a sonic, err… oh, never mind."

"What?"

The Doctor faced the other wave, pointing his screwdriver and lighting it.

"It's sonic and that's all that matters!"

"Disrupter? Cannon? What?"

"It's sonic! Totally sonic! I am sonic-ed up!" Tried the Doctor.

"A sonic what?" Insisted Jack.

"SCREWDRIVER!" The Doctor finally cracked.

Jack turned suddenly, shocked. The kid finally broke the wall and I ran to Rose to show the floor. She shouted that we were coming down while I grabbed Jack's wrist and directed him to the ground. I pulled the trigger and a square hole appeared in the ground and we fell to the floor of the room below. I calculated the fall and the landing, but dude. I suck at math. I fell with all my weight, a nice 48kg, for 1.40m—which is pretty reasonable in terms of weight. And I missed the landing, which made me fall on my back. And fuck it hurts! But I told myself that if I was in pain, nothing was broken. Kids, this is a bad way of thinking. Fortunately, I had nothing broken—except my dignity—but I knew that tonight I was going to have a nice bruise on my back.

"You are okay?" Asked Rose, looking for the light.

"Could've used a warning," grumbled the Doctor.

"She did, not our fault you didn't listen!" I was defending.

"And who looks at a screwdriver and thinks 'Oohoo, this could be a little more sonic?'" Asked Jack with a lot of sarcasm in his tone.

"He does," I said, pointing at the Doctor. "And he has survived pretty well, I think."

"What? You've never been bored? After a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?" Replied the Doctor, defending his screwdriver.

Rose finally found the light switch and that's when I realized we were in another room with zombies. I called Rose in vain. There was light, and people rose from their beds to come to us. We ran to the door which—damn—was locked. Jack tried to unlock it but he was useless since his blaster didn't work. The Doctor pushed him so he could unlock the door with his screwdriver.

"Damn it, the battery is dead!" Complained Jack.

I let out a mocking laugh. We had left our life in the hands of a guy with a battery gun. Isn't that a rubbish situation?

The door unlocked suddenly, and we quickly ran in. The Doctor closed the door immediately and we were stuck in a sort of storeroom with several broken and useless objects like as a radio or phonograph. I couldn't say what exactly it was. There was also a wheelchair with a hole in the backrest and wheels in bad condition, and bunch of other medical and scary things. The legs that hung on the wall in front of me weren't at all reassuring.

"I was going to ask for a new model, but someone will blow up the factory."

"What a shame isn't it?" I purred with amusement.

And he has a Vortex manipulator. He could have bought his weapon before the factory exploded. I mean, it's not like it was blown up two seconds after it opened. There was time between the beginning and the end. He could've bought something, right?

"Oh, I know, the first day I met him, he blew up my job," Rose said. "That's practically the way he communicates."

I was going to say that he didn't blow up something the first time_ I_ met him in real life, but I just remembered what happened on Downing Street. We blew it up. Ah ... good old memories!

"The door should hold," informed the Doctor.

"The door?! The wall didn't stop it!"

"Well, it's gotta find us first! Come on, we're not done yet! Let's look for a way to get by. What do we have here?"

"I've got a banana, and at a pinch you could put up some shelves," Jack snapped.

The Doctor walked to the window and climbed onto the table.

"Window …"

"Barred, and we are on the seventh floor, good luck surviving the fall."

Sherlock survived the fall ... and he didn't complain.

"No way out," guessed Rose.

"That conversation ended in a flash didn't it?" Said Jack, settling comfortably in the wheelchair.

The Doctor suddenly turned to me, pointing at Jack.

"And I have to trust him? Where did you find this one, by the way?"

"Weeeeellll…" I said, not at all confident and totally uncomfortable.

"She was hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship. I never stood a chance."

This was totally the situation that I wanted to avoid. I was completely uncomfortable. Why in hell did Rose look at me as if she wanted to kill me?!

"Okay, one: we have to get out of here. Two: we can't get out of here." Listed the Doctor. "Have I missed something?"

I felt a light draft and turned my gaze to the source: an empty wheelchair. Jack was gone. Damn ... Jack really doesn't give the best impressions.

"Jack just disappeared ... Enfoiré!"

Rose looked amazed. The Doctor turned to see the empty chair and he gave me a look that said 'you see?.' I looked smart with my knowledge, but not enough to solve the problem. In spite I sat on the chair, and took the opportunity to rest.

Rose approached the Doctor, who had now sat down too, to rest.

"So he vanished. Why is it always the great looking ones who do that?"

The two looked at each other. And I pursed my lips to avoid laughing at the Doctor's outraged look.

"I'm making an effort not to be insulted," said the Doctor clearly.

"I mean… men," clarified Rose with a wave of her hand.

"Okay, thanks… that really helped," he said with a sarcastic smile.

A radio noise was heard and Jack's voice was transmitted into the room.

"Alvia? Doctor? Rose? Can you hear me?"

I turned my eyes to the radio while the Doctor took it and put it on a table, aiming it in the right direction.

"I went back to my ship."

"And it didn't cross your mind to take us?" I asked with a sarcastic sneer.

"I used the emergency teleport. Sorry, I couldn't take you."

"Of course …" I whistled in bad faith.

The Doctor held a wire in his hands, with a confused look.

"How're you speaking to us?"

"Om-com. I can call anything with a speaker grill."

"Now, there's a coincidence."

"What is?"

"The child can om-com too."

"Anyone with the TARDIS phone number can call you from this phone," I said.

"The phone is not a real one, Alvia. It doesn't work."

"Now, here's a spoiler for you," I quote, humming with a smile as I thought about River and UNIT.

"Do you mean that the child can call us, as he did earlier?" asked Rose, remembering something.

"And I can hear you. Coming to find you. Coming to fiiiind you."

"Oh merde…" I whispered.

"Doctor can you hear that?"

"Loud and clear."

"I'll try to block the signal," Jack said. "Least I can do."

"Coming to find you, mummy!"

"Remember this one, Alvia?"

And Glenn Miller's song suddenly went on the radio. I sank into the armchair, cheeks red from embarrassment under the weight of the looks coming from Rose and the Doctor.

"What is this?" Rose asked teasingly.

"Music."

"Romantic music," insisted Rose with a smile on her lips. "I guess you had a good time, right?"

I didn't give an answer. I'd never been so embarrassed in my life. The Doctor nodded as if he understood, but his eyes indicated that he didn't like it. Was the Doctor jealous? What? Me and Jack?! It's the stupidest idea I've ever had!

XXX

I think a good half hour had passed. The song had repeated many times and I was getting pissed of this tune. I didn't even like this song! Rose had found another chair and she was swaying gently on it. The Doctor was doing something on the wall with his screwdriver. And GOD I was bored! I had forgotten my headphones in my room, so nothing to listen to anything other than "Moonlight Serenade."

"I swear, if this thing keeps playing this song, zombie masks or not, I'm going my way through the hospital to bar myself from here."

"No need to panic," Rose said. "Doctor, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to loosen the bars by setting up a resonation pattern in the concrete," vaguely explained the Doctor, continuing to face the wall.

"Because he absolutely doesn't think Jack will come back," I clarified, making a gesture to the Doctor.

"Why don't you trust him?" Asked Rose. "Alvia does."

"I have good reason to trust him, but the Doctor doesn't. He doesn't know Jack like I do."

"I don't understand," said Rose. "But what I do know, is that I trust him. He's like you, I think. Except with dancing and dating."

I turned to Rose, surprised. And the Doctor gave her a look.

"What?" She asked.

"You just assume I'm…"

"What?" Insisted Rose.

"You just assume I don't ... dance."

"What, you're telling me that you do… 'dance?'" She said with a smile.

"Nine hundred years, me. I've been around a bit. I think you can assume that at some point I've 'danced.'"

"You?!" She said with a bigger smile.

"Problem?"

"Doesn't the universe implode or something if you ... 'dance?'"

"Well, I've got the moves but I wouldn't want to boast."

"Just one question," I intervened suddenly. "When did the sport notion of dance become a synonym for sexual intercourse? 'Cause I'm totally confused about whether you're talk about dance or sex."

Is it a blush that I see on the cheekbones and ears of the Doctor? Because that's absolutely cute.

Rose stood up and turn up the volume of the music. The Doctor looked around him uncomfortably. And Rose walked slowly towards him like a cat in heat, flirting. The Doctor seemed determined to not leave the wall. Rose reached out her hand. And I watched the scene, fatigue invading little by little in my body.

"You've got the moves?"

The Doctor looked at Rose.

"Show me your moves."

"Rose, I'm trying to resonate concrete."

_Because we all know it will work_, I thought humorously, referring to the Whovian.

The Doctor turned off the screwdriver and put it back in his jacket pocket, walking away from the window with a strange expression. He looked at Rose's hands before turning to me and pulling me up, holding my hands. Rose was confused. He turned my hands, which were empty of the slightest sign of injury. His hands were larger than mine and despite their callous appearance they're were soft and warm, although I know his body temperature was lower than that of humans. But my hands were cold, and the warmth of his hands warmed mine.

"Barrage balloon?" He asks.

"Mmm?"

"You were hanging from a barrage balloon."

"Not the best idea I had," I conceded, shaking my head. "But that was necessary to meet Jack. And then I still had a good view of London, even if the Nazi raid spoiled the show a bit."

He raises his eyebrows at what I had just told him.

"I travelled with a lot of people, but you're setting new records for jeopardy-friendly."

"I won't do worse next time, but I can't promise anything," I said, shrugging.

"Hanging on a rope a thousand feet above London. Not a cut, not a bruise."

"I see where you are coming from. Captain Jack treated me while I hadn't asked for it…"

"Oh, we're walled him Captain Jack now?"

"Well, his name's Jack and he's a captain. I don't see where's the problem?" Commented Rose.

"He's not really a captain, Rose." Smiled the Doctor with a kind of satisfaction.

"D'you know what I think? I think you're experiencing Captain Envy."

"Her words, not mine," I defended, raising my hands in the air to prove my innocence.

The Doctor nodded half-heartedly, not denying it. He suddenly took my hands in his again but this time as if to dance. Something that I don't usually do. Me dancing is like watching a wildebeest trying to get up for the first time. It's funny and not graceful at all. I usually dance like I have a broom in my ass.

Rose pulled back a little to make space for us and she told me that my feet were at the end of my legs. I know I'm not the best dancer but still, I didn't need to be depressed. While continuing to swing to the right and left without moving much, the Doctor spoke again.

"If ever he was a captain, he's been defrocked."

"Really? Shame we missed that," added Rose.

"Must have been such a beautiful sight to see," I added, laughing with Rose after an exchange.

"Actually, I quit. Nobody takes my frock."

The Doctor and I separated immediately after we saw that we were no longer in the hospital but in the Chula vessel. Rose and the Doctor eyed the place as I leaned against a wall, folding my arms.

"Most people notice when they've been teleported."

"No comment."

"You were so in a moment, so sweet."

Really? It was a moment? Wow. It's not as ... impressive as I thought.

"Sorry about the delay, I had to take the nav-com offline to override the teleport security."

"You can spend thirty minutes overriding your own protocols? Maybe you should remember who's the real owner."

"Oh yes, I do. She was gorgeous. Like I told her, be back in five minutes."

The Doctor observed the details of the ship while Rose looked amazed as she turned herself to observe the ship as well.

"This is a Chula ship," acknowledged the Doctor.

"Yeah, just like that medical transporter. Only difference, this one is dangerous."

The Doctor snapped his fingers and a cloud of Nanogenes appeared at the end of his fingers, floating around his hand quietly.

"Oh! That's what heal the burns of my hands. Those are—"

"Nanobots? Nanogenes."

"Nanogenes. Thank you for interrupting me."

"It's beautiful," admired Rose. "What are they?"

"Sub-atomic robots. There's millions of them in here, see? Burned my hand on the console when we landed, all better now. It's healed. When they activate, they check for damage and correct physical flaws."

And with a wave of the hand, the Doctor sent back the nanogenes and they disappeared from our vision. I just thought, I'm so used to biting my nails and pulling small skins from my fingers to the blood that in the end, I still have minor injuries to the hands. Maybe I should ask the Doctor to give me nanogenes for personal use. I also used to cut my pencils with a scalpel instead of a pencil sharpener and I'm not immune to a bad wound due to my clumsiness. Yep, I will definitely ask for nanogenes, when all this is over. It will be stylish in my room, and will give a little air of magic like Harry Potter.

The Doctor finally turned to Jack.

"Take us to the crash site. I need to see your space junk."

"As soon as I get the nav-com back online! Make yourself comfortable. Carry on with whatever it was you were… doing." Said Jack gesturing to me and the Doctor.

"We were talking about dancing!" The Doctor said innocently.

"We were?" I asked curiously.

I know we were talking about the sporting notion of dance, and at some point it skipped on to sex. But if that happened, I was completely wrong. And if that happens, we Whovians, had been wrong since the beginning about this conversation. Russel T Davies must have died of laughing when he saw us making theories like Anderson.

"It didn't look like talking."

"But there was definitely dancing," denounced Rose.

"Jealous?" I questioned her.

"You'd wish," she said in a good imitation of Harry Potter fighter Malfoy in his second year.

Jack returned to work at the console of his Chula ship and Rose joined him for a conversation that I guess is similar to the one in the episode. The Doctor, for his part, preferred sitting down with his hands crossed and resting on his knees. As I watched the Doctor, he seemed to be in intense thought. His eyes were blank and his air was dark. I swallowed and sat by his side, although I sat on the floor rather than on the bed he had taken. He didn't seem to be aware of my actions he was so in his thoughts.

"His ship is not as impressive as the TARDIS," I tried.

I managed to pull the Doctor out of his dark thoughts and earned a chuckle from him.

"Not bigger on the inside, isn't it?"

"Time Lord technology is beautiful, I have nothing to complain about it. But I'm just as fascinated by the future and alien technology of this world."

I wanted to continue the discussion with the Doctor, but a beep suddenly interrupted me. The computer seemed to have finished its program.

"Alright, I think we're ready to go to the crash site," Jack informed us.

Jack teleported us outside and we walked for about ten minutes in the damp, dark streets of London. We ended up arriving in a military area by barbed wire, wooden crates and soldiers and their weapons. We arrived near a station where the 'bomb' was. As we scoured the barbed wire and entered it, Jack recognized one of the soldiers.

"They've got Algy on duty. Must be important."

"We've gotta get past."

"I hear the words 'distract the guard' in my general direction," tried Rose vainly.

I rolled my eyes at the little haughty air that Rose suddenly taken.

"I don't think that'd be such a good idea," intervened Jack.

"Don't worry… I can handle it."

"I've got to know Algy quite well since I've been in town. Trust me, you're not his type. I'll distract him."

Jack walked away and I chuckled softly as Rose looked at the Doctor, not understanding what Jack had just told her.

"Relax, he's a 51st century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to 'dancing.'"

"How flexible?"

"Much more than somebody asking 'Flexible how?'" I replied with a smirk.

"By his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy."

"Meaning?"

"So many species, so little time…" the Doctor hummed, smiling.

"What? That's what we do when we get out there? That's our mission? We seek new life, and… and…"

"'Dance'," he finished with a big smile.

"Oh, take off that disgusted air from your face, Rose!" I exclaimed, seeing real disgust.

The same air someone would wear who is more for "manif' pour tous" than "lgbt +." No one has the right to judge someone else's relationship, every living being is free to love man, woman, trans or any other species in Jack's case. I remember something I read on Tumblr or Pinterest: You could put Jack with anyone or anything, it would always be consistent and normal. Honestly, you could describe all the relationships of the world and Jack would get his own categories.

I shook my head, it wasn't time to think of anything else. Jack suddenly backed away in horror and we could see that Algy was on the ground and having a painful transformation into a gas mask zombie. We all ran to join Jack and my jaw dropped on seeing the horrifying realism of the transformation. A wave of disgust, horror and pity overwhelmed me and I felt even less safe as someone in the Whoniverse and not just a spectator in front of a screen. The Doctor ordered to stand behind the victim.

"The effect's become air-borne. It's accelerating."

"What's keeping us safe?"

"Nothing."

"Not even a gas mask?" I tried with a bad sense of humor.

The Doctor glanced at me as I realized it was not the right moment. I knew it. And to remind me that this was neither the time nor the place, the siren of the air raid sounded again, informing us that bombs would fall on us soon. I do not like war, but... I really want to run away to the TARDIS—the safest place in the universe. Speaking of bomb...

"Jack, didn't you tell me a bomb would fall here?" I said with a trembling voice.

Jack nodded to confirm and a song came to my ears.

"Forget the bomb. If the contaminants are now in the air, we have barely a few hours left."

"For what?"

"'Til nothing and forever. If we don't act now, the whole human race will become like them and… does anyone hear a song?"

The Doctor left in the direction of some sort of big tent, and we followed him back to the source of the song. It was a young woman with a grey cloak singing: Nancy. After having finally getting her safe, we headed for the ambulance, having no obstacle or stop on the way. At the bomb site you could see a small pile, covered with a tarpaulin. Jack asked the soldiers to leave the area that was illuminated and they obeyed without objection. Jack removed the tarpaulin and finally we were able to see the purple ambulance that was in bad condition due to the crash.

"See? Just an ambulance," presented Jack.

"That's an ambulance?" Asked Nancy dubiously.

Rose took Nancy by the shoulders and explained that it came from another world. I joined the Doctor and Jack who were near the bomb. Jack typed a code on a small Chula keyboard, that looked like glyphs from the Sheikas in Zelda Breath of the Wild. Jack noticed that the soldiers tried to open the ambulance without success while the Doctor asked why Jack was typing a code.

"Sooner you'll see that this thing is empty, sooner you'll see that I have nothing to do with the rest."

The controls suddenly exploded with sparks, making us move back quickly to avoid burns, and an alarm sounded loudly as a small red light flashed.

"Didn't happen last time."

"Of course it didn't happen last time, it hadn't crashed before! And now they're coming!" I exclaimed before the Doctor could speak.

"What's coming?"

"You know who I'm talking about!"

And to prove my point, the doors of the barn that were closed suddenly moved under the sound of a blow, as if something were coming for us. I remembered that the whole hospital was getting up and heading towards us, as well as the child.

The Doctor ordered Jack to close the gates to avoid any intrusion of the masked ones and threw his screwdriver at Rose with orders after hearing that Nancy had come here by making a hole in the barbed wire.

When Jack returned, he began to open the ambulance. Jack managed to open it a few minutes later and you could see that the ambulance was empty.

"It's empty, look at it."

"Because you can't see it, it doesn't mean that there is nothing," I finally scoffed, ready to make the revelation.

"What were you waiting for inside?" Continued the Doctor. "Bandages? Cough drops?"

"Or thousands of nanogenes," I ended up mimicking said nanogenes.

Jack understood at once and swore to his ignorant stupidity.

"And now he finally gets it?" I exclaimed, applauding him with sarcasm.

"When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night and wearing a gas mask."

"These things brought him back to life? They can do that?" Asked Rose, surprised.

"What is life? Life is just a simple state. A quirk of matter. Nothing for a nanogene."

_You have four hours._

"The only problem with these nanogenes in particular is that they're different from those of your ship Jack. They've never seen humans before, they don't know what a human is supposed to look like," I continued.

"All they've got is one little body and nothing else," agreed the Doctor. "And they continue, they do what they are programmed for, they fix. They don't know the difference between a gas mask and a skull, but they do their best. Then, off they go, with a job to do. Because now they think they know what humans should look like and all the rest are ready to be corrected. And they'll never stop. They won't ever, ever stop," told the Doctor as his voice increased. "The whole human race will be demolished and rebuilt in the form of a terrified child looking for his mother, and nothing in the world can stop him!"

The Doctor was almost shouting and I could see the anger settling into his posture—his blue eyes cold. Jack looked like a scolded child after the revelation of his misdeeds.

"I didn't know," said Jack defiantly.

"When we don't know, Jack, we do not touch and we do not manipulate!" I growled suddenly, getting tired of Jack's attitude. "Bordel Jack! Take some responsibility! You're an adult for God's sake!"

I glared at Jack, who looked really punished and guilty. The Doctor returned to the medical ship, sonic screwdriver in hand to work. I put my hands in my hair, styling it back to make sure it wasn't in my face. The cold of the night bit my cheeks and made them red. I calmed down and my eyes caught a movement. I heard someone speak and I turned to see a wave of masked people walking towards us. More masked people came and their pleading became stronger and more numerous. All stopped at the fence without moving, and we all gathered near the ambulance.

Nancy started crying, saying it was her fault. The Doctor reassured her that she was not, but she continued in her rant. I joined the young woman as bombs began to fall and explode. Jack disappeared, returning to his ship. I took Nancy by the shoulders talking to her softly as if she was a scared child.

"Nancy, I know he's not your brother ... He's just a child looking for his mummy. No child should be trying to find out who his mom is ... Every child, including Jamie, should have their mom at their side and know who their mom is. It's normal to be afraid and to have hidden the truth, especially at this time. I would have probably done the same. But now he must know."

I turned my gaze to the doors that were now open because of Jamie.

"Because he's going to keep asking, Nancy. He'll never stop. You have to tell him."

Nancy snorted, still in tears, and Jamie walked over to us.

"The future of the human race is in your hands," spoke the Doctor softly. "You can trust Alvia ... tell him."

Nancy took a dose of courage and approached Jamie who continued to walk towards us. While Nancy confirmed to Jamie that she was his mother, he continued to ask again and again. She took him tenderly in his arms and a gigantic cloud of nanogenes surrounded them gently. The scene was beautiful and looked magical. Rose wanted to intervene but was stopped by the Doctor's arm who gently asked nanogenes to understand.

The nanogenes disappeared and we headed to the duo.

"Oh, come on. Give me this day. Give me that one," prayed the Doctor.

I started to smile knowingly. The Time Lord reached for the gas mask and managed to remove it, finally revealing Jamie's face, which was perfectly ordinary and held a soft look. Jamie smiled at Nancy's astonishment and the great joy of the Doctor bursting into laughter. He lifted the little boy in the air with disconcerting ease and turned him around.

"AH AH AH! Welcome back! Twenty years 'til the pop music, you're gonna love it!"

He took him in his arms for a hug, laughing with joy. Nancy wondered what had happened and the Doctor quickly explained. A bomb landed not far from us and Rose reminded him by panicking that a bomb would arrive here at any moment.

The sound of a bomb was heard and I turned my head to see that a bomb was plunging in our direction until a Chula ship showed the familiar blue beams that stopped its fall. A moment later Jack appeared astride the bomb. I could see on the bomb that two German words were painted white. These two words were of course, BAD WOLF.

"The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long."

"Change of plan, don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it? Safely as you can?"

"Consider this as already done!" Confirmed the captain. "Alvia? Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Mm?"

"Goodbye."

He disappeared and I felt a small vacuum in my chest despite everything. Suddenly he reappeared.

"By the way, I've always loved girls who are sly like a fox!"

He smiled at me and I felt my cheeks turn red as I rubbed my hand over my neck. Jack disappeared again and his ship disappeared into the night sky. The Doctor walked forward, staring at his hands and calling forth the nanogenes floating around his hands.

"You wanted moves, girls? I'll give you moves!"

He threw the nanogenes away from him, towards the masked ones who were still trailing behind. The Doctor's smile widened as people fell to the ground with the floating nanogenes surrounding them.

"Everybody lives! Just this once, EVERYBODY LIVES!"

People rose again, except this time they had no gas masks on their faces. They had come back human. The Doctor joined a man in a white coat and talked a little with him before coming back to our side, and he climbed on the bomb to program the self-destruction of the ambulance. But before programming self-destruction he did something that surprised me. He summoned some nanogenes and placed them in my hands. They floated in my palms in the form of a little ball of light no bigger than a tennis ball.

"You're fascinated by the technology of this world, right? They can be summoned only by you. I hope that you can avoid several visits to the Medbay. Now, the history says there has been an explosion here. Who am I to discuss with history?"

"Usually the first in line," I said with humor, making Rose laugh.

The Doctor smiled and I smiled back, happy by the events and the unexpected gift. I put the little sphere in one of my pockets of my coat and felt a little weight confirming that they weren't going to disappear in the air.

As the ambulance was ready to explode, we informed the residents of the impending explosion and we ran back to the TARDIS. The streets of London that we crossed were filled with laughter of joy and smiles. Then, we finally arrived in the TARDIS.

"The remaining nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, because I just told them to. Nancy and Jamie will see Dr. Constantine for help. All things considered, fantastic!"

"Look at you," smiled Rose at his enthusiasm. "Beaming away like if you're Santa Claus!"

"Who says I'm not! Red bicycle when you were twelve?"

"What?" Exclaimed Rose with surprise.

"And everybody lives! Everybody lives!" The Doctor is ecstatic, arms outstretched. "Alvia you said I was going to love it, thank you! I need more days like this! Ask me anything. I'm on fire!"

"Jack…" I said, blurring the Doctor's smile.

He continued to work on the TARDIS console, as though he didn't want to talk about it.

"We have to save him, Doctor," I pleaded softly. "Everyone lives, including him."

The Doctor stared at the console before manipulating buttons and lever. He reached for the door and I nodded in understanding.

I opened the door quietly, noiselessly, watching Jack eating an olive and drinking a glass of cocktail. I took a look at the bomb and saw that on one of the fins, a fox had been engraved there. Music sounded in the background and as Jack turned around I raised my hand as if I wanted to dance.

"Hurry up, we don't have all the time in the world here!"

Jack took my hand and I pulled him inside the Tardis where Rose and the Doctor were trying to dance. Jack eyed the Tardis as I closed the door. Rose was talking to the Doctor with mentions of dance while he looked sheepish.

"I'm sure I used to know this stuff…"

He operated a button and the engines started carrying us away from the ship that was about to explode.

"Welcome to the TARDIS," said the Doctor.

"Much bigger on the inside…"

"You'd better be."

"What the Doctor is trying to say," spoke Rose as she approached Jack. "It is that you may cut in."

I took off my coat and put it on a coral and the Doctor suddenly exclaimed.

"Rose! I've just remembered!"

"What?"

Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" was played through the speakers and the Tardis flashed its lights in joy. I loved this song. The Doctor approached us in rhythm with the music and snapping his fingers.

"I can dance!"

"Actually, Doctor… I thought Jack might like this dance."

"Don't worry," he said imperturbably. "I could find another partner," he finished with a wink.

And he pulled me by the wrist, drawing a cry of surprise from me. He took my hands in his and we started to dance. Finally I tried to dance as best as I could by imitating the movements of my partner while I stammered in vain that I was not made for dancing. Jack and Rose joined us in the dance as we whirled around the console, perfectly unlike my wallowing on the floor. The song ended as the Doctor suddenly threw me back on his arm and I laughed for joy as I got up and fell into the Doctor's arms, having absolutely no strength left. We parted smiling, sharing a warm look and I sat on the chair. Rose led Jack into the TARDIS looking for a compatible room for the captain.

I stretched out, finally relaxed and smiling.

"You should put the nanogenes in your room," said the Doctor gently.

"Yup, I'll do that immediately. I'll be right back."

I jumped up and grabbed my coat before heading to my room. When I opened the door, I immediately noticed the glass jar on my desk. Another Sexy gift to put away my nanogenes. I don't know why she loved me so much but I don't complain.

Do you know the glass jar in the Zelda games? Well, it was the same as the one I put the ball of nanogenes in and I closed it, having the impression of having captured a fairy like in Ocarina of Time. I put the jar on one of the shelves in my bookcase and my coat on the chair in my office. I thanked Sexy, who buzzed softly with joy and flashed her lights in a semblance of a response before returning to the console room where the Doctor was.

"I think I had my early 20th century fix with this adventure! I will really feel lucky if I don't have a nightmare because of the creepy theme with a child who calls his mummy and wears a gas mask. It was hard enough to watch, much less live it…"

"Better to remember the good times then …" he added.

"Dancing was a good memory …" I murmured.

"What would you say to extending the memory?" The Doctor offered, holding out his hand.

The Doctor held out a hand, waiting for me to take it. An invitation to dance. I observed the Doctor's face to see in his eyes that he was sincere, that he wanted me to accept. A soft smile settled on my lips and I got up to take his hand. They were still hot, tall, callous and pleasant. The TARDIS lowered its lights a little and to my surprise a very familiar song played in the speakers.

"_Ce n'était pas du Glenn Miller. Ce n'était même pas du même siècle et encore moins le même type de danse."_

The first notes of Joe Hisaishi's "Merry Go Round Life" were playing all over the room while the Doctor put his hand on my hip and I put my hand on his shoulder. It might not have been a real dance, much less a waltz, but it didn't matter to us as we circled the console, swinging from left to right and vice versa. I had missed my steps a few times and but the gentle reassuring smile of the Doctor made me forget those few mistakes.

I could feel a pleasant warmth invade my body as we danced to the rhythm of the music and a smile never left my lips. The Doctor was leading the dance and we seemed to slide into the room like a draft and all this without his eyes leaving mine once—his light blue eyes affectionately staring at mine. The rhythm of the music increased and our footsteps did the same. We were in perfect synchronization. I allowed myself to hum and close my eyes to maximize the sensations of the dance. I felt like we were feeling the vibrations of our movements, the constant buzz of Sexy and something more. I felt like I was feeling waves ... Maybe we were in the Time Vortex?

The song ended but we did not separate ourselves yet; the TARDIS was singing a song of the time, and we were balancing elegantly and tenderly on it. We were close—my head resting against his chest and I could feel his two hearts beat at the rate of four. Still, at that moment, I smiled. We took a few steps back, watching each other for a moment before I tiptoed up and kissed his cheek lightly.

I pulled back, smiled again and left for my room. But on the threshold of the corridor, I turned and I saw him touching the cheek that I kissed.

"Merci beaucoup Docteur pour les danses… j'ai vraiment aimé. Passe une bonne nuit."

Before he could answer that the night didn't exist on the TARDIS, I entered the corridor joining my room and my bed that was calling me. I didn't bother to put on pyjamas, too tired to look for them. I settled under the blanket in my underwear and I immediately joined the arms of Morpheus when my head rested on the soft cushion. In my sleep, I dreamt of dancing in the Doctor's arms.

* * *

here's the translation of the french sentences/word.

"... wanker!"

"oh, shit..."

"Damn it Jack!..."

"It was'nt Glenn Miller. It wasn't even of the same century and even less the same type of dance."

"Thank you very much Doctor for the dances… I really liked it. Have a good night."


	10. Loss of innocence or Death

Hey everyone! here the New chapter.

**BUT** before you leave your reading, I have some warning and some important words to let you know:

this chapter clearly has the theme of **non-consent**.

I do not want this situation for anyone. And I clearly know that the reactions I use in this chapter will not be good and accurate.

Know that I asked my entourage (which is quite critical in terms of literature) to read it before and give me his opinion. If I post it, it's a good chapter according to them.

For the consideration of everyone and myself first, I didn't describe the acts (I don't even think I have the ability to write smut ... too bad)

Finally, Thank you bored411 for having corrected me, thank you my relatives including Isa'ralia Faradien (a French writer of fanfiction) for giving me your opinion on this chapter and the next (it will be coming soon)

* * *

"WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?!"

That was the Doctor who had just shout at Jack's request. How did I know, even though I was in the kitchen eating? Simple. Just five minutes ago, Jack had told me and Rose, about his desire to go to a specific place in the 51st century, although we don't know where exactly. But from what we had just heard, it was certainly not a place where the Doctor would willingly go.

With Rose, I joined the men in the console room. Rose wore the usual, an outfit with an unnecessarily pink element, and this time it was a flashy pink top. It hurt to look at it. Seriously, if I could, I would throw this atrocity into the fire. It was a crime against my eyes and all of humanity to wear this thing.

"Gloria Trax III is where we should go," Jack seemed to repeat.

"I don't invite people on my TARDIS as a companion to take them to places of carnal pleasures!"

I thought the Doctor was upset about going to this place because of something he did in his past, but judging by his expression, and what he just said, it was just because he was prude and didn't want his companions to sleep with anyone (or anything). In fact, other than the discussion of "dance," where he was definitely talking about dancing and not the human reproductive act, the Doctor was a rather modest and timid man in the field of love and sexuality. It was true that he flirted with aliens sometimes, but now I realized that he didn't know what he was doing and how he was making others feel. Which was a shame I think, because unlike his future incarnations, he didn't seem to want a love interest.

"Oh, come on!" Complained Jack. "It is a planet festival in the 51st century. It's normal if we find pleasure in all its forms!"

"A planet festival?" Rose asked suddenly.

"A planet terraformed and allocated to the pleasures of the party. There's music, alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling ... The perfect place to party and take a break with all the running we do."

"I really want to go!" Exclaimed Rose with the stars in her eyes.

"No! No, no, no!" Countered the Doctor. "We will not go to this place of debauchery!"

"I suggested that we, _companions_, go there," Jack tried. "You can stay here if you want."

It was quite hilarious to see the Doctor struggling with his refusal, especially since Rose was trying to convince the Doctor to go.

"What do you think Alvia? A planet of pleasure."

I turned my head to Jack who called me, and my neck suddenly cracked. I had a little pain ... And... did he really want my opinion? Because I knew that this type of planet wouldn't please me too much. I was already wincing at the potential heat that I was going to suffer.

"You certainly don't know Alvia well enough, Jack!" Rose laughed. "Give her a book to read and she's fine."

I didn't even have to deny it. I knew I preferred a good book to a giant party.

"Rose isn't wrong, I'm clearly not the person to ask for an opinion, especially when it comes to socialization. I am here to discover the wonders of the universe, not to socialize."

Jack groaned, and after a debate on yes or no, the Doctor gave way. We were going to Gloria Trax III. Glancing at me, Jack advised me to change outfits because this already hot planet usually was even more so in populated areas. So, I opted for a lighter outfit than the one I was wearing. Sexy made me a surprise by offering me a navy cotton shorts with a Japanese style in the shape of Kimono pants. I didn't like the feeling of bare legs, so I wore black fishnet tights and a pair of worn white converse with its white fabric stained with dust. For the top, I had a Nirvana graphic white t-shirt that stopped at my belly button. I had decided not to pick up my phone to avoid losing it or having it stolen, and put it on my desk. I was finally ready.

The Doctor drove the Tardis towards Gloria Trax III. His aversion to this trip was felt, because the trip was a little more abrupt than usual. As soon as Jack was out, followed by Rose, I grabbed the Doctor's wrist. He was pouting. I smiled gently, helping him understand by my look that I didn't really want to go either.

"We could let them have fun here and go somewhere else," said the Doctor innocently.

"I doubt that with your driving skills we could do it without being noticed," I teased softly. "After how many tries did you have your license to drive a TARDIS?"

"What makes you think I got my license?" Chuckled the Doctor as he left the Tardis.

I stood there for a few seconds, surprised by the information he had just told me. I shook my head before running to join him. _This man is impossible_.

"You don't have your license and so you think it's a good idea to throw the flight manual into space?" I continued.

"In a supernova," he corrected. "And then I did not agree with what was written on it."

"You didn't agree with the right information to drive your Tardis?" I asked, incredulous. "No wonder why your driving is so horrible."

"My driving's perfect," he concluded.

That's not exactly what Sexy would say ... Nor River Song.

We ended up joining Jack and Rose soon enough. We were on a small hill covered with green grass and hard, dusty soil. The hill was calm, but from here we could already hear and feel the constant rhythms of bass and music. My heart was beating at the same rate and I knew that the body of Jack and Rose were doing the same; although I had no idea about the Doctor. The air was hot and dry, and I regretted not having taken a scarf to cover my nose.

We were on the top of the hill and I could see on the horizon a typical area for music festivals. Music scenes and drink stands were abundant. Between each stage and stand, there was a void filled by people dancing and singing at their own pace and in their own way. All these people were of different color and shape, not just humanoid beings. As we sank into the delirious crowd, I could admire the many species gathered here to party. There were all kinds of aliens: blue blobs with red and yellow eyes like the monsters of Zelda 'Breath of the Wild' robotic nymphs; women with cybernetic elements. And the music! I have to talk to you about music. I could hear everything. Music with human origins or not (although mainly human). There was everything from all the great classical styles of music from the 20th century to the 51st century.

We never separated. It would have been a big mistake, especially for me; small size, bad sense of direction and crowds don't mix well. If we wanted to listen to a particular style we would go there, staying for a dozen songs before going elsewhere.

It was after listening to different styles in different places, that I felt the urge to drink become urgent. My throat was rough and my lips were hard and dry, despite the fact that I ran my tongue over them more often. And then, with this world and the two suns proudly enthroned in the azure sky, I felt slightly sunburned. A drop of sweat slipped down from my forehead. I finally suggested that we go for a drink.

Rose had indicated a drink stand not far behind us. We went there. We ordered four big glasses of water first. While Jack and Rose drank in one go, the Doctor sipped it gently. I drank what I could before passing the rest of the water on my face and my hair. The cold water slid down my neck to my belly. And maybe wearing a white T-shirt was not a good idea ... The Doctor, who was taken aback by my action, turned his head a few seconds later, his face completely red and his ears. My bra was visible as the t-shirt became transparent. I had shrugged despite the red of my cheeks, which wasn't due to the heat. With this heat, the t-shirt was going to dry quickly.

Our glasses finished, we decided to drink something else, except the Doctor who stayed with his water. Jack ordered three cocktails despite the fact that I didn't want any alcohol (for the moment). Each cocktail with a different color. Jack had a cocktail in different shades of blue, Rose had a pink and yellow cocktail, while I found myself with a drink mixing several shades of dark red and burgundy as well as yellow and orange.

I was going to take a sip of this drink, but the alcohol stung my nose and eyes. Remembering my father's advice about strong liquor, I plunged my finger into the cold liquid and smeared it on my lips and tongue. The alcohol gently heated the affected areas before disappearing, but not completely. I finally took the first sip; the alcohol was really strong. It must have been rum or something like that. I could smell the fruity taste of mango and orange, but the rest was unknown to me. In truth, the drink was rather sweet if you put the alcohol aside. Alcohol burned my palate, my throat, and my stomach slowly and I didn't like that feeling. After finishing my drink, I asked for a glass of water, but smaller this time.

I had wiped the sweat from my brow, and we left to listen to music. Much to my delight,we found a scene featuring Queen's greatest songs. And so, it was with enthusiasm that I sang "Don't Stop Me Now", "Another One Bite the Dust", "Bohemian Rhapsody" and many others.

I felt a warm breath near my ear, making me shudder and goosebumps creep up my arms. I looked away from the stage to see the Doctor with a soft smile on his lips.

"If you like Queen so much, we could go," he whispered in my ear.

"You bet we'll go, Spaceman! It would be a crime to not go there!" I had answered him.

He smiled at me and I did the same in return. We had listened to some of Queen's classics before going back to our musical tour. Everything was perfect until we decided to go for a drink again. Rose and Jack had gone first to a drink stand, while the Doctor had stayed close to me to take me there. I didn't really care about the rest as I listened to the music.

But it was when he took my hand that everything became hell. During the contact between our hands, I felt like a kind of electric shock mixed with pleasure. I gasped and my legs started to shake, and I had to hold on to the Doctor as I thought I would fall to the ground. But the extra touch added even more shock and chills that I didn't want to feel and that were inappropriate.

The Doctor suddenly became worried about my reaction.

"Alvia!"

"I don't know what's going on. My body's reacting strangely."

He took my neck in his hand as he felt my pulse and watched every reaction on my face. A burst of heat ignited me, and my body felt much hotter than necessary.

"Your pulse is high; your pupils are dilated. Your body gets hotter every second while producing some pheromones…" he says, swallowing hard.

He took out his screwdriver and analysed me quickly before observing the results.

"Something provoked these reactions in you, you must have ingested it. We have to find Jack and Rose quickly!"

I nodded weakly as I reluctantly let him go, my body seemed to be searching for contact. We had joined Jack and Rose, who seemed to be in the same state as me, if not more. They stood close to each other, their red faces with some sweat beads on their temples and necks. The Doctor analysed them too with his screwdriver to achieve the same results.

Something had been introduced into our body and put us in a precarious state. I was thinking about what we could have ingested and that the Doctor had not done before reminding me of alcoholic beverages.

"Cocktails ... This is the only thing you haven't drunk, Doctor ..."

Jack confirmed the detail I had just announced.

"We have to go back to the drink stand, just to know what product is in the drinks."

"If we can hold on," said Rose. "My body is heating up more and more, it's unbearable..."

I had combed my wet hair back, removing as much sweat from my neck as I gasped for confirmation. My body seemed to be on fire, and I felt myself rocking when I didn't even move.

We were leaving when the Doctor wanted to catch my wrist to move me faster. But I slammed his hand, ignoring the reaction of my body. I didn't try to justify my act, while the Doctor looked at me with a slightly sad look at my refusal.

Quickly we were back at the drinks stand, finding the same waiter who had given us the drinks with alcohol. I stood against the fresh wooden stand, catching him as if he was a lifesaver. I put my cheek against the cool face, plunging my mind into the sensations I felt and not paying attention to the rowdy discussion the Doctor had with the waiter. But I knew that at one point the Doctor seemed furious and was about to do something he might regret, but the dark side of the Doctor calmed down, only his eyes showed all his fury as he made us leave the stand and we all got back to the TARDIS.

On the last few meters before entering the inside, my legs dropped from exhaustion and the heat of my body that I couldn't bear. The Doctor carried me despite my words. The contact that my body was eagerly seeking made me lose my head and my body acted alone. It was horrible not to be in control of my actions. My hands gripped his shoulders as I buried my head near his neck.

He put me on the seat near the console as he joined Jack and Rose and spoke softly to them. Clinging to the seat, I watched vaguely the trio while I dealt with all the heat that drained my energy. My heart was beating fast and I had the impression that it was going to leave my body it was beating so hard. I breathed and panted quickly. My vision was gradually getting fuzzy, but I saw Jack and Rose leaving the console to sink into the bowels of the Tardis. The Doctor joined me and got to my level. He pulled the hair out of my face before staring at me, his eyes looking desolate.

"What's wrong?"

"I was able to discover what product you had ingested all three ... It's an aphrodisiac."

That certainly explained why my body reacted strangely ... I had let out a weak laugh.

"Of all things ... I never imagined it would be something like that," I said weakly.

"Except it's deadly for humans…"

"What? You ingest it and you die? I think I discovered a problem with that bloody thing."

"Alvia listen to me ... its deadly only if you're left in this state."

I frowned. I did not understand.

"What do you mean?"

"It's mortal only if in twenty-four hours you don't ... if you don't have sex…," he announced shamefully.

"is that a joke?"

"Alvia."

I got up, shaking my head at the Doctor. I didn't want to believe what he had just told me. A deadly aphrodisiac? No way!

I stood at the railing, doing my best to stand up while the Doctor stood up too.

"This is not a joke, Alvia!"

"And I refuse to believe what you just told me," I hissed angrily. "I'm going to cool my body, that's what I'm doing," I finished, ending the discussion.

I walked away from the Doctor, going to my room, standing on the walls, leaving the Time Lord in the main room. I removed my clothes as soon as I entered the bathroom. I turned the knob of cold water and the water flowed immediately.

I entered despite the icy water, and I appreciated the cold water and the cooling effect on my body. I sighed with relief as I felt the warmth of my body caused by the product disappearing.

And when I came out of the shower and the bathroom, I didn't expect at all what would follow. The heat I thought disappeared, reappeared at once, the heat wave took me by surprise and finally removed the little strength I had recovered. I fell to the ground, trembling and feverish, my body suddenly painful with every movement. I moaned in pain and I cried out because of this pain. I was only aware of the pain that pierced my body and my bones. If the cruciatus curse existed, I could only guess that the pain would be almost similar.

In my pain, I hadn't paid attention to my environment. I hadn't heard the door of my room open quickly and close a minute later. I hadn't seen the Doctor, without his leather jacket, go to me and take me in his arms. But his contact made me aware of everything, and the little skin that belonged to him and that touched me soothed the pain but increased a pleasure that I didn't want. I cried in his chest for pain and pleasure that I had never asked for or wanted.

He whispered something to me, he spoke to me, but I didn't focus my attention on his words until I paid attention to his supplications.

"No ... No … I refuse!"

"I won't let you die Alvia. Not here and not now."

I retreated, tearing myself from the Doctor's arms to fall back into pain. I begged him to leave me alone. But he took me in his arms and this time to hug me. He put his head on mine, silent. My room was silent, if not for the moans I was giving out. He pulled back slightly before raising both hands to my face, his fingers resting on my temples and it took me a few seconds to recognize this position. It was the same when he erased Donna's memories.

I struggled suddenly, wanting to remove his hands from my wet red face. My nails scratched the Doctor's motionless wrists.

"NO! Doctor! Leave me! Leave me alone!"

I felt a pressure in my mind, sweeter than the one I felt on the Satellite 5. And that was the last thing I said before I heard the Doctor say that order verbally and in my mind. Before I fall into darkness.

"_Sleep_."

* * *

The Doctor grabbed Alvia's warm, soft body that was unconscious. He swallowed hard as he felt the warmth of her body through his sweater and warm his own body. He held her naked body in his arms when he noticed that the few veins, he saw due to her white skin had turned black because of the aphrodisiac that she had in her body. The contaminated veins started from her heart and could be seen in several places, her arms as well as her neck. And that would invade her body if he didn't do anything and leave her in this state. What he refused to do.

The Doctor murmured in his native language prayers for the future, already ashamed of what he was going to do. He lifted Alvia's body before laying it on her bed, stroking her face gently, enjoying the contact he knew was going to disappear when she woke up. He knew she was definitely not going to trust him after that. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before releasing everything. The weight on his shoulders seemed heavier as he pulled off his sweater. He knew that his actions were morally and emotionally wrong and that she had said no, but he really didn't want Alvia to die, he was attached to her. Despite the fact that she knew her past, present and future.

It was when he climbed onto the bed, over Alvia's unconscious and naked body that he murmured words for her, a single tear flowing down his cheek.

"I am sorry… "

* * *

I woke up, my body and my mind tired ... My body seemed much heavier than usual and the pillow was much softer than usual.

It was hard to open my eyes, but when I managed to open my eyes slightly my vision was blurry and fuzzy. I sighed tiredly, blinking to see a shadow near me. The shadow gently stroked my hair, running his fingers through my locks and gently scraping my skull, before covering me with a blanket.

I closed my eyes, falling back into the arms of Morpheus, exhausted.

* * *

The Doctor came out of Alvia's room, nausea settling in. He headed quickly to his own bedroom, the bathroom specifically. A gag raised his chest before he regurgitated tea as well as that morning's meal in his bowl. He cleaned his mouth with water before returning to his room. He sat on the bed before putting his head in his hands, sobbing in the dimly lit room. He could feel his own disgust grow in his hearts. He couldn't believe what he had done to save her. He resolved never to answer a request from Captain Jack again.

He watched his hands tremble and continued to cry in silence until his Tardis told him that the duo was heading for the kitchen. He wiped his tears and calmed himself before joining them. When he arrived in the kitchen, he could see that Rose had hints of hickies on her neck, just like Jack. They both looked like people who had fucked well. Rose made tea and poured the liquid into three cups. They tasted their tea in silence until Jack finally broke the silence.

"How's Alvia?"

"She will survive," replied the Doctor a little coldly. "She's safe and sound," he crocked.

"How did she take all this?" Rose asked with a worried gesture.

The Doctor sighed before rubbing his face with his hands.

"Not at all as I hoped ... And now, I'm pretty sure she'll want to be as far away from me as possible and no longer be on the TARDIS."

"What have you done, doc?" Jack asked with awe.

The Doctor sank into the chair, he swallowed, seemingly painfully remembering the latest events. He explained with shame and sorrow what he had to do to Alvia so that she could survive in this world. He explained how Alvia suffered and refused to act for her own good. He said nothing about the act itself and he didn't need to do it. Jack and Rose didn't need words to guess what had happened, the simple fact that Alvia was going to survive explained everything to them.

And despite the words of the Doctor and the acts he had just done, the disgust and anger weren't what they felt towards him. They both understood what they had just experienced was complicated. They themselves would have preferred not to do it, but they didn't want to die because of the product.

The kitchen was quiet as soon as the Doctor finished speaking. The Time Lord went to hide under the console, tweaking the cables in the hope of passing time. Jack returned to his room to cool off and rest while Rose sat on the metal chair, a chilled cup of tea in her hand. She thought back to everything she had experienced with Alvia and the Doctor. Despite a jealousy against Alvia since her meeting, she shared a good time with her, jokes and moments between girls, laughter to the Doctor.

She triturated a lock of hair between her fingers as she decided to put her negative feelings towards Alvia aside and emotionally support the young redhead. She was definitely going to need it.

* * *

I woke up with a start. I didn't know what caused it. I opened my eyes before closing them and pushing my face into my cushion. Despite the lack of light in my room, waking up with lights was not the best thing. It took me a few minutes before my eyes accepted any source of light and I could finally open my eyes without wrinkling them. I got up slightly, the blanket sliding off my shoulders before reaching my waist.

I ran my hands through my hair, my head filled with cotton. I moved my legs before stopping immediately. I could feel between my thighs a strange humidity. I already had my period; it was more than a week ago. I put my hand between my legs, gathering moisture before removing my hand and watching it in the light. My hand was covered in red blood. I froze on the spot, the memories coming back to me like a whiplash. I suddenly got up, pulling myself out of bed, staring at it as if it were on fire. I had to stand against the wall as my throat knotted and nausea settled in my stomach.

I ran into my bathroom, lighting the shower and getting in there even though the water was cold. And while the water was warming up little by little, I crouched down, thrusting my head into my arms. My shoulders shook and I cried hot tears, sobbing hysterically.

I didn't know how long I had been in the shower, but the water suddenly stopped as Rose entered my bathroom and took me in her arms, ignoring the fact that I was wet. She took me out of the shower and hugged me on the bathmat. We were on the floor, and I was holding her like a life buoy while I was still crying.

At one point she gestured to someone and I hoped it wasn't the Doctor. Because I didn't know what I would do if he was there. Fortunately, the person who was there seemed to leave.

It will have taken me a good half hour to calm down. The cold caught me; Rose advised me to get dressed. I nodded weakly, not trusting my voice to avoid falling back into tears. I put on dark-gray high-waisted denim pants and a black long-sleeved turtleneck and black converses. I usually didn't wear a turtleneck but felt as if I needed as much skin covered as possible. If I had gloves, I would have put them on too. Rose grabbed my hands and held them tight as she gently massaged my skin. My hands were shaking violently.

"I need some air," I murmured as I felt myself becoming claustrophobic.

"I'll tell him…"

She left first, leaving me alone in my room. Dark thoughts, shaking hands and raw nerves. While going to get my long coat, I noticed in the mirror of my office. My eyes were red from crying, I had dark circles of fatigue, my cheeks were wet, and my head was pounding painfully with a headache that was growing slowly.

I put on the coat, leaving my room and crossing the corridor as slowly as possible, apprehending the future meeting with the Doctor. And way too soon, I had arrived at my destination. Jack was there too, talking to the Doctor. As soon as I stepped into the console room, the Doctor looked up and watched me. I was too far away to observe the emotions that crossed his eyes, and I had no desire to approach him. I had gone to Rose who was the opposite of the Doctor. We watched each other, though for my part I shot the Doctor the darkest look I could make.

The room was silent, except for the constant and familiar sound of the Tardis. The silence was heavy, and you could cut the tension with a butter knife. It was Jack who decided to break the silence.

"What do we do?"

" I think a break with my mom would be a good idea," Rose said. "Doctor, if you could ..."

She didn't need to say more. The Doctor nodded in silence, flying the Tardis to take us to London, to Rose's, where Jackie was surely waiting for us. For the first time since the beginning of my trip with the Doctor, the driving of the Tardis was quiet and not chaotic as we were used to. The Tardis finally materialized at the same place where I had left Jackie and Mickey. Rose decided to take some dirty clothes to have them cleaned at her house. Jack stayed where he was, totally silent. He was watching us in silence.

I looked at the door with envy, the fresh air outside calling me. I took a few steps, getting ready to go down the stairs when the Doctor grabbed my wrist. I turned around quickly, pulling my wrist from his hand violently, almost slamming his hand.

"Don't touch me ..." I hissed hatefully. "Don't touch me! Stay away from me, don't come near me, Putain!"

The Doctor withdrew his hand and step back a bit because of the extremely cold tone that I gave him. He had never seen me so furious, and generally my anger was for someone else. It was the first time I was mad at the Doctor.

"Alvia... I'm sorry ..."

"You are sorry?! It doesn't work with me. I said no! I SAID NO! What didn't you understand in what I said?!"

The Doctor was going to talk again but I cut him off. From the moment he called me, his voice made me insensible and I refused to hear him again.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up, Doctor! I have no fucking desire to hear your voice. Do it and I'll send you my fist in your face. So, shut up and listen to me! I said no and even worse, you did it when I was unconscious! I could have just hated you, but you're used to it. I do not hate you, oh no! It's much worse than that! You _disgust_ _me_… "

As I spoke, spitting my venom at him, my tears flowed again. The Doctor, who was already ashamed, was even more so and his shoulders collapsed with grief at seeing my tears. Deep in me, I was happy to see the Doctor like that. After what he had done to me, he deserved all the suffering I inflicted on him.

Despite this satisfaction, it didn't surpass the disgust, fury and hysteria that grew in me. And it was growing when I was in the presence of the Doctor. That was why I turned without a look and ran out of the Tardis. I fled between the buildings, before plunging into the streets of London blind, not paying attention to where I was heading.

I didn't know how long I had run in London, but my legs, my feet ached. My lungs were burning in search of air, and I gasped as a stitch forced me to stop my run. I had not stopped walking, I was walking in the streets, ignoring passers-by. I ended up arriving in a park, where I sat on a bench. In front of me, there was a lake with ducks. But I was unaware of them too. I was unaware of everything. A storm rumbled and warned that the rain was near. I ignore passers-by who ran for shelter when the rain fell full force. I ignore passers-by with their umbrellas, who glanced at me while I was still on my bench, soaked to the skin, could not tell the difference between my tears and the rain.

And above all, I ignore this world which was not mine and which would never be.


	11. Kintsugi

Hey everyone!

here it is! the final part of the previous chapter.

is this considered a non-canon chapter? Because I'm always looking for a good words to put on the created chapters that are not episodes of Doctor Who.

(please tell me)

In short, as in the last chapter I would like you to take into consideration that the written reaction in this chapter won't necessarily be in conformity with the reality and therefore won't be accurate (We don't cure trauma in a snap).

For my part, I consider that the reactions I have written are those that I think are most appropriate.

This is my opinion as an author, and the wonderful thing about this site is that you can tell me what you think by leaving me a reviews ;p.

The chapter is written, I don't change it but if I have to add a little bit of character to something else at Alvia in the next chapters, I will.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter! I finally run out of chapters in advance and need to write new ones ;p ! Please, fav follow or leave a reviews if you want !

* * *

In the London's streets, a man walked aimlessly, trapped in his dark thoughts. He was so far from home. His hands in his trouser pockets, his worn converse rubbed the pavement with each step and his long coat fluttered gently like a shadow. He had no emotions on his face, not a smile, not a frown; his face was empty of everything.

He was traveling without a destination until he reached a park. The rain had been falling for a few minutes and a storm was rumbling loudly, shaking his body. He wasn't paying attention to passers-by walking under their umbrellas or to those running to stay dry. But his attention turned to an anomaly in his vision.

As the weather was dark and the rain fell again and again, wetting the grass and its soil, he spotted a bench. The bench was near a lake with some ducks in it. On this bench was a girl with a coat almost like his, and red hair.

The man's eyes were wide, recognizing the girl. A wave of sorrow rushed into his chest as he watched her tremble with cold in the rain. The girl was soaked to the bone despite the layer of clothing she was wearing. The man went to her, he removed his coat and as soon as he was behind her, he draped her shoulders with his coat, covering it with the little heat he could offer under this rainfall.

* * *

Lost in my thoughts and paying absolutely no attention to those around me, I was only aware of the rain falling on me and of every drop that tapped my cheeks. But when an unknown heat source covered my shoulders and back, I jumped, my attention back to reality. I turned to look at the man behind me.

I narrowed my eyes as I recognized the man. Hands in the pockets of his trousers, his legs crossed and a sweet smile with old and sorrowful eyes. If I was not so furious and my nerves were not so raw, I might have been worried about the negative emotions buried in his eyes. But it was absolutely not the case, and my whole being was tense, ready to flee or attack the man I was watching.

"When I said I wanted you away from me, that also counts for your other regeneration, _Doctor_!"

But the Doctor did not answer. The Doctor, whom I had never met before this moment and who was the spitting portrait of David Tennant gave me only a sad smile.

"What are you doing here? Isn't it dangerous to return to a time when you're already here?"

"The Tardis took me here, I'm completely there by chance. Where are we?" Babbled the Doctor cheerfully.

"No idea ... And if you are here by chance, go elsewhere!" I hissed.

The 10th Doctor chuckled at seeing me hiss and spit at him. There was nothing funny, absolutely nothing. I finally stopped cursing the Doctor, seeing that it was useless since he was just giggling. I could only stare at him somberly in silence.

"You know that despite what you think of me now, I have no regrets? You may not know it, but there was no other way to save you."

"What?! Was that the best thing you could tell me, huh?!" I exclaimed furiously again.

The Doctor didn't say anything. He was just watching me, with dark, impenetrable eyes, devoid of any emotions. He seemed to be looking for a good word, not wanting to give away anything that would reveal to my future. A future that I do not want to want again. I don't think I can bear traveling with him. Even at the thought I'm outraged.

"Without you, I don't think I could have survived what I lived," said the Doctor. "It was only thanks to you that I was able to survive certain situations, only because you were there to save me. Without you, I wouldn't be here anymore. When I think back to when I lived with you I don't regret anything, absolutely nothing."

"I-I…"

I didn't expect at all what he just told me. To say that I am surprised is a euphemism. My future self really had such a relationship with him? Was I even able to save someone other than myself? When I am barely able to take good care of myself?

I shook my head wanting to deny his words. But he went around the bench, standing in front of me, grabbing my shoulders and holding them tight but not enough to hold me in place.

"There's so much I regret, Alvia. Things you know for sure. But at the risk of repeating myself, I don't regret my actions. You are everything, not a regret."

As he stared at me with serious, slightly sad eyes. I remained silent, staring at him with wide eyes. My nose suddenly tickled, and I sneezed suddenly. This reaction brought joy back into the Doctor's eyes as he began to giggle at my own expense. I started to blush with embarrassment before shivering due to the cold and the water from the rain running down my back. I tightened my coat and that of the Doctor's on my shoulders, hugging myself. He took a few steps back before reaching out to me, a warm, sweet smile on his lips.

"Let's get some warmth and sheltered from the rain," he said carefully.

I reached for his outstretched hand, it was the same one that was going to be cut off—had been cut off—during the Sycorax invasion. He wiggled his fingers as in the episode and I stretched mine gently, like a wounded and wild animal before putting it in his. He closed his fingers around mine. I tensed before relaxing immediately. He gently pulled my arm to make sure I stood, and he dared not try and hold my hand. His coat was dragging on the ground and I had to return it to avoid the bottom being damaged due to my size.

In silence, the Doctor took me to London in search of a cafe still open. We ended up finding one and it seemed vaguely familiar. The waitress who was on duty went to get us some towels to wipe ourselves off while we sat at a table with comfortable seats. When the waitress returned with the warm and dry towels, she took our orders. Orders that the Doctor paid to my surprise. It seemed he really had money in his larger-on-the-inside pockets. It would have been very useful when we didn't pay for our meals and had to run for our lives.

The Doctor ordered tea and hot chocolate, as well as what to eat when he heard my belly gurgling. I had not eaten since we landed on this damn planet. Thus, a few minutes later—when I had rubbed my hair vigorously with the towel—the lady who served us came back with a large teapot that steamed, three cups—one of which gave off the smell of hot chocolate—and some pastries. We thanked her and she left shaking her head and a satisfied smile.

The cup of chocolate was hot on contact with my palms. I had to wait a little and blow onto the thick liquid before I could take it in hand, ignoring the heat and slowly enjoy it. I moaned softly at the taste; it was delicious. How long had I not had a good hot chocolate? Too long if I can't remember. Maybe I was still at home when I drank one.

To relax the tension between us, the Doctor discussed the last adventures we had without mentioning the last one I came from. And it was a really long time to be furious with someone who could make you smile and laugh. It's frustrating. The Doctor really managed to tear me away laughing and smiling, remembering the ridiculous scenes we experienced together. Like the time we landed on a planet with natives who took everything in the first degree and did not understand the concept of metaphor. Or the time we went to an alien market positioned on an asteroid chain that moved randomly and it took at least a week to return to the TARDIS because of random shifts.

It was with an amused smile that I finished my cup of chocolate and ate some of the apple pies. The Doctor was giving me a distraction and he seemed to enjoy remembering the good old days. As he recounted a new memory, I began to look at him more closely, nodding from time to time. It was while watching him that I noticed the dark circles under his brown eyes that were so expressive. I even noticed some wrinkles on the corner of his eyes. That's when I wondered where this Doctor in front of me came from. His body—although young—seemed to have lived a long time. Where did he come from? From Torchwood with the Battle of Canary Wharf? The Valiant, tortured for a year by the Master? Had he saved reality threatened by Davros and the Daleks? Had he been on Mars? Was he going to face the Master and his people again? I couldn't read him. I couldn't even figure out where he'd been. If he had worn his blue suit, I might have been able to guess where he was, but unfortunately, he was wearing his brown suit.

I carried the cup of tea to my lips, enjoying the taste of slightly sweet black tea on my tongue. I snatched my eyes from the Doctor to turn to the window on my left and I observed the main street lit by streetlights and was crossed by a few people with their umbrellas and taxis. I watched the rain continue to fall much lighter than earlier. The storm was no longer rumbling, and lightning no longer illuminated the rainy sky.

We both finished the food and drank the rest of the tea silently, staring at each other from time to time and avoiding eye contact. I circled the warm cup of tea with both my hands to warm them up when I tapped the rhythm of four with one finger on the cup. It was a reflex that I had adopted since I first saw the Master in Doctor Who, I only tapped it when I was nervous, stressed or in deep thought. And that didn't go unnoticed by the Doctor. He pulled my hand to put it on the table and he put his hand in mine, preventing me from doing anything. His hand was cooler than mine, and he moved again, drawing my eyes to our hands. He intertwined his fingers with mine. I didn't reach return the contact.

Time passed and the tea in the teapot was slowly emptying, but it was an hour later when the cafe that welcomed us as a refuge had to close. The Doctor and I were in the street, our bodies warm and slightly damp in the icy cold of the formerly rainy London night. I closed my coat by buttoning it before plunging my hands into the pockets of the coat.

"I don't want to go back ..." I murmured, thrusting my head into his shoulder.

"We don't have to go now. We can still hang out if you want," he offered looking for my hand to hold.

It was an idea I liked, hanging out in London. Since, I hadn't visited London yet. Besides, I didn't do it in my old world and just to think about my world made my mood fall again. To confirm, I nodded and gently bummed the Doctor's hand so he could take it. I didn't think I was capable of initiating proper contact. We walked the streets of London which was asleep. At this time the city seemed silent. It was rare to meet anyone.

We walked for... I do not know how long in the silence before the absence of noise weighed me down and started to drive me crazy. I began to hum a few tunes that went through my head, songs I like, movies from Ghibli studio, series such as Game of Thrones, Sherlock or even Doctor Who. From the corner of my eye, I could see that the Doctor had become attentive to what I was singing, and he didn't seem to recognize all the tunes that I hummed. It was while humming the 'Shepherd's Boy' that he spoke.

"I recognize this tune. How many times I was surprised to listen to this music," recalled the Doctor. "And I still don't know where this music comes from. You never told me."

I smiled softly as I heard a slight, disappointed tone in his voice.

"Shepherd's Boy."

"What?"

"That's the name of the song. She was composed by Murray Gold for the Doctor Who."

"This is the series about me, if I remember correctly, isn't it?"

I confirmed his question with an affirmative hum. He tried with very little subtlety to guess when this music could have been played in his life by asking me questions; questions that I answered with an air of mystery and an amused smile. He begged me until I finally let go of that word so well-known and so annoying.

"Spoilers!"

The Doctor complained that it was not fair and started to whine like a child. The pout on his face was so hilarious that I could not hold back a laugh. My laughter calmed down shortly after and we walked back into silence. I was not humming anymore because this time the silence was not heavy. On the contrary, it was nice.

The hour turned, and as my feet ached and begged for rest. We were walking quietly on the way to the Powell Estate. We were still far away, and at our pace the morning would soon be here. London was slowly coming to life as we got closer; taxi drivers poured in, the night workers went home and those who worked days woke up slowly. Gradually, the silence of sleep disappeared to turn into a pleasant background noise for the moment.

Despite this, the way back was not direct. We made a long detour via Downing Street. We told each other anecdotes of the past in relation to number 10, which was still under reconstruction. We passed 221B Baker Street and the street that hosted Sherlock's filming in my world. But eventually all good things come to an end. The field was in my range of vision, and my apprehension returned as I advanced.

At each step, I felt my eyes sting and my tears appear again as panic invaded my body viciously. It was near a park that panic became too much and I was in a crisis. I was gasping for air and a nausea caused by stress came into my stomach.

Fortunately, the Doctor was considerate and attentive. As he entered my field of vision, he showed me that he was going to initiate contact. And for proof, a few seconds later, he moved to take me in his arms. His arms wrapped around me, gently and forcefully plunging me to his chest, while one of his hands gently rubbed my back in comfort. He whispered soothing words that I couldn't catch until I paid attention.

When the panic disappeared and I finally calmed down, all the negative effects of my body had gone away. I tried to initiate a hug. I did it with success. My arms rose to wrap around his body and I turned my head so it could lay on his chest, listening to the Doctor's two beating hearts. The rhythm of four cradled me as we both remained in comfortable silence.

But this silence didn't last long since the Doctor spoke to me again in a soft voice.

"Do you hate me?"

His voice wasn't that soft. It seemed almost like a weak voice ready to break and turn into a tearing sob. It was a voice like the one he used just before he regenerated.

"I could never," I whispered. "Even if I really wanted to, I could never hate you ..."

I stepped back to finally look at him, observe him deeply. Freckles under his eyes and the top of his cheekbones. And his eyes… Oh, his eyes…

His eyes were so brown with a slight shade of gold almost imperceptible to the one who did not pay attention to the smallest details. His eyes that have seen so much, eyes so old and yet so expressive. So expressive that even I could guess his condition, his emotions or lack of.

"I had time to think…" I confessed. "And ... even though ... even though that everything was …"

"Alvia," interrupted the Doctor.

"Shut up, if I don't speak now, I don't know if I'll be able to do it later," I said quickly before inhaling deeply, looking for the right words. "What I meant was, that despite what you did was wrong, despite this, this nightmare situation ... I'm glad you saved me ..." I continued. "I cannot imagine what would have happened if you hadn't kept me alive. I was scared, afraid of my own body, my reactions and how I felt. Pain, pleasure, heat, cold. I was scared, so scared. I was afraid of death, of dying. I was scared, like when I was alone with the Dalek at Van Statten's. I was so close to death ... and when I saw that you saved me, despite my openness, I accused you, insulted you, cursed you ... I'm sorry Doctor, for everything."

During all the time I spoke the Doctor no longer tried to cut me off. His gaze had become solemn and he seemed attentive to the slightest word. A happy, happy smile filled his face as I finished speaking.

"What I mean is ... I don't blame you anymore …"

"Thank you ... Thank you. You don't know how much it matters to me," he said slowly.

I shook my head slightly.

"Because… what I did to you, was much worse than killing my people. And when I think back to how I lived, I sometimes think that having you by my side was the best thing. I didn't lie about the fact that you saved me many times ..."

A part of me wanted to ask what he was talking about. I knew it was clearly my future and I was going to live it, and knowing my own future was a very bad idea. But despite this curiosity, I remained silent and kept the questions deep inside me.

The sun was already overhanging the buildings when we finally separated. Maybe people saw us, but we were both in a kind of bubble, not paying attention to the environment. I looked indirectly at the sun, when I realized that I had probably worried others by my disappearance. The Doctor told me that indeed, they had died of anxiety during all the time I had disappeared. It was time to say goodbye. I didn't really want to, but my Doctor didn't know where I was. It seems that he didn't want to leave me too, for some reason that I didn't know. We both delayed the deadline by still discussing everything and nothing, babbling as best we could. But there was a moment when all subjects were exhausted, and time passed.

I took a step back, committing to our goodbyes.

"I'd better go ... they're waiting ..." I tried weakly, gesturing.

"Yeah …"

His smile was extremely sad and painful. My heart ached at the idea that our good-bye was making the Doctor suffer. I only wanted to erase the feelings of that smile and ensure that it is only fueled by joy and laughter. I forced a smile that turned out to be sincere and while I was really going to say goodbye, he grabbed my neck and made me advance to him until no space existed between us.

It took me a few seconds to realize that the Doctor was kissing me with passion and despair. He moved his lips to mine, waiting for me to answer. Was I shocked? Surprised? In truth, I didn't expect him to kiss me in any of his regenerations. Me, who asked questions about his lips, his sweetness and everything else in a few private moments I could experience. His lips were soft, nothing to complain about. It was a little cooler than mine like his hands, probably due to his biology. I could not help analyzing this kiss but when the hand on my neck stroked me gently and his other hand rested bit above my hip, bringing me closer to him. Then, all my thoughts flew away and I answered his kiss. He seemed to want to share emotions with me through this kiss.

His lips rubbed mine, leading a dance that I practiced very little in my old world. Our kiss remained soft and didn't go further. When I ran out of air he drew back, putting his forehead against mine, our eyes closed enjoying this moment; sweet and filled with affection and maybe even more. He put a soft and gentle kiss quickly on my lips before finally back and say goodbye.

He gave me one last look before turning around and leaving. He left, walking his hands in his pockets, coat slowly floating behind him and the soles of his converse slowly rubbing the old wet asphalt from time to time. When he was out of sight, I finally moved, walking towards Jackie's apartment. I put a hand on my lips, still feeling the warmth of our kiss, blushing gradually. I now had more questions in my mind. Among all these questions only one came back most often, why did the Doctor kiss me? Not that I was complaining. Absolutely not. But what had been a fantasy, a dream, had just happened a few minutes ago. And unfortunately, all the questions that were spinning in my mind would remain unanswered for a good while.

It took me ten minutes to find the right building. It was when I saw the Tardis parked in the same place as in the first episodes of season 1, that I finally found my way. I made as little noise as I could when I passed the Tardis, not wanting to see the Doctor first. I climbed the stairs quickly, regretting it when I arrived on the floor with my legs and feet screaming. Finally, in front of the door of Jackie's apartment, I raised my fist in the air before knocking four times on the wooden door.

It was Jack who opened the door, and he immediately took me in his arms when he saw me. I tensed unconsciously for a few seconds before relaxing and returning the hug. He led me inside, where it was much hotter than outside. He called Rose and Jackie, and I was locked in a group hug of females. When I was finally released from all hugs and I finished answering all the questions asked—leaving out the fact that the future incarnation of the Doctor was with me almost all along and the kiss that we exchanged—I was free to take a hot shower, eat properly and rest; fatigue taking me over quickly. It was about 10 o'clock in the morning when I put my head on the cushion on which I slept for almost a year during Rose's disappearance; and it was almost 5 pm when I woke up, as night began to fall. I only woke up because my bladder was threatening to burst.

I got dressed in the same clothes I wore, cleaned during the day by Jackie and still hot because it was sitting by a radiator. I drank a cup of tea and debated with Rose and Jack whether I wanted to go see the Doctor. Both wanted me to let the time go a bit longer before I went, while I wanted to go see him now, wanting to settle this and leave it behind. I was rather stubborn, and unfortunately for Rose and Jack, I had the last word. I was going to see and talk to the Doctor.

I slipped on my coat waving in front of the front door before giving a confident smile to the duo. I went down the stairs as usual and when I was out of the building, I headed for the Tardis. I pulled my necklace out, caressing my ring and the key hanging from the metal chain swaying to the rhythm of my steps. The closer I got to the marvelous blue box, the warmth and the soft golden glow surrounded the key and my hand at the same time. I finally stood in front of the blue wooden doors, my free hand gently caressing the painted wood that vibrated softly at my touch.

I put the key in the lock and turned it to unlock the door, opening it before I went inside and closed the door. I went through these doors countless times, and yet today I felt like I was going back to the first time. At the time I was different. We change certainly, but some changes are much more important than we think. And today, I saw the world with new eyes. That's why I felt like I saw the inside in a different way than before.

I tucked my necklace in the back pockets of my pants, having in mind to make some changes a little later. My eyes slid everywhere, eagerly eyeing the console. The lights were dim and a little darker than usual, the console illuminated the rest of the room with its green light. My footsteps echoed weakly on the floor and the fence of the steps and the platform. I was looking for the shape of the Doctor before finally calling him when I couldn't find him.

"Doctor?"

A noise came from the other side and seemed a bit choking.

"Doctor?" I repeated. "It's Alvia, I need to talk."

This time, the noise that was suffocating just before was no longer. A movement behind the console caught my eye and I walked towards this source of noises and movements.

The Doctor, whom I thought untraceable in the end, was only under the fence, repairing or modifying cables and electronic cards of the Tardis. He gave me a surprised look as soon as I entered his field of vision. The Doctor, who was not wearing his leather jacket, tucked his sonic screwdriver into a back pocket of his pants and finally climbed to the same level as me. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple moving up and down.

"Alvia," greeted the Doctor. "I thought you didn't want to see me anymore ..." he said with a tone of sadness.

"I changed my mind," I said, gesturing with my hand.

"You said you want to talk?"

I confirmed with a gentle nod. The Doctor calmly shifted against the console, unconsciously twitching his hands nervously.

I wasn't going to make the same speech as in his future incarnation, I was just going to make it short. The long speech will be known to him in his future.

"I forgive you," I said without preamble.

The Doctor choked on my words. He did not expect it at all.

"What?" He exclaimed incredulously.

"I said—"

"I know what you said! But how?! Why?!" Questioned the Doctor.

"The reasons are mine, all you must know is that I forgive you."

"But how can you forgive me?!" Replied the Time Lord. "Damn it, Alvia, I _raped_ you!"

"I know exactly what you did to me," I assured myself a bit coldly. "Although, I don't forgive the acts themselves, I forgive you because without you I would be dead. And that if it hadn't been you it could very well have been Jack. Nobody knows what could have happened if you didn't do it. And don't give me the excuse that you could have seen with exact precision what could have been," I quickly assented seeing the Doctor was about to argue. "Damn ... I wanted to be short ..." I whispered rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Listen, what is done is done. I am alive. It's not without consequences. But I care too much for you, not to forgive you. May we please forget this event and never talk about it, ever again?"

The Doctor, who had his mouth open and seemed to have lost words, hesitated a few moments before agreeing to what I proposed. It seemed like a proposal he liked because he didn't argue about it.

Now that I had said everything I wanted to say, I decided to go to my room to pick up my phone before going to the library. I hardly took a step when the Doctor spoke again, worry being heard in his voice.

"Where're you going?"

"Bedroom, then library," I said. "As soon as Jack and Rose are fit to come back for new adventures, can I suggest a destination?"

"You still want to travel?" Asked the Doctor, not wishing to believe the whole situation.

"Of course, Doctor!" I replied with a smile. "I'm not going to leave you three all the time and space, and someone must be a ginger when you're all so rude," I joked, referring to the description 'Rude and not Ginger'.

"Oi! You too are rude sometimes," the Doctor teased.

"But I'm ginger all the time!" I sang with amusement.

"What is the relationship between being rude and ginger?"

"Spoilers!" I concluded, winking at him.

And I left him with those words, walking joyfully to my room. The Doctor called me, wanting to know more, but I only laughed as I heard him shout my name. I shook my head with amusement, for nothing in the world would I turn my back on the Tardis, offering all the time and the universe. For nothing in the world, would I give up every opportunity to laugh and tease the Doctor. For nothing in the world, would I leave the Doctor.


	12. Boom Town

Hello everyone! New chapter!

thank you for your reviews for the last two chapters, you took them better than I thought!

We leave in a canon episode and I'm a little sad because we arrive at the end of season 1.

As the usual, don't forget to leave a reviews, fav or follow! (both, both is good). Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

I couldn't say how many months had passed since the incident. And to say that I had repercussions was completely wrong. I looked physically and mentally healthy, but some gestures and reflexes proved the opposite. First of all, my outfit: I, who previously wore a simple t-shirt with my coat, found myself wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt under the graphic t-shirt I loved so much.

I had let my hair grow down to my neck, like a kind of shield. The locks that usually fell in my face were pulled back and tied, preventing the rest of my hair from going forward. I had lost the habit of putting on makeup, doing a simple line of eyeliner with very little mascara for my eyelashes. No eye powders or lipsticks. I was absolutely simple.

I had lost weight too, although most of it was thanks to the race. Unfortunately, the rest came from a kind of paranoia that I had developed since the incident. I did not trust food that I had not cooked or did not come from the TARDIS. I was developing a problem with food, I was extremely conscious of it and despite the efforts I was trying to combat this paranoia, it remained.

Same for contact, although it took me some time to be able to initiate contact with the Doctor on my own or not to jump when Jack or the Doctor took my hand without warning. On the other hand, I refused any contact with a human or extraterrestrial stranger. Only animals were the exception, it seemed.

I had lost my belly, had refined in my legs and arms. Looking at myself in the mirror, I was trying to compare myself to my mother's memory of her body, and I thought I should have almost the same body size now. My mother ... Only a few pictures on my phone allowed me to remember her face, but now it was impossible for me to remember her voice. Same for my father.

I blinked, preventing any tears from running, taking a tissue to dab the moisture in my eyes.

Sitting in the library with a book by Terry Pratchett on my lap, I reread for the third time the same sentence. I put in a bookmark before closing the book and setting it on the coffee table. I put on my red conversions, lacing my shoes before heading down the hall to join the trio in the console room.

I finally arrived in the room to see Mickey Smith.

"It's Mickey!"

"Hey! Mickey Mouse! How are you?" I exclaimed with joy and humor.

"Don't you go there too!" He complained.

I only gave him a big smirk for an answer.

"Don't listen to them, they're just joking," reassured Rose.

"You look beautiful."

The couple hugged me as I joined Jack's side. The Doctor was up high with a flashing red headlamp around his head.

"Awww, look at that, it's sweet! Why don't I ever get any of that?"

"Because you'll want to sleep with the person you're holding in your arms, Jack."

"Why sleep with you when I can cuddle you?"

"Because I'm the exception. But if you really want it, buy the Doctor a drink first."

"Such a hard work."

"But worth it!" The Doctor smiled extremely satisfied.

I would have teased the Doctor but not this time—remembering what had happened between us. But it seemed that this secret was going to be kept in the shadows. Did he have these moments?

Rose and Mickey chatted a bit, talking about a passport and the Doctor joined the conversation. There was a moment when the silence in the Tardis became uncomfortable until Mickey cut off the tension.

"So, what brings you to Cardiff? And where does 'Jumping Jack Flash' come from? I have nothing against 'Big ears' …"

"Oi!"

"Look in a mirror, mate."

I let out an amused snort as the Doctor shook his head and went back to work.

"But him," said Mickey nodding towards Jack. "I don't know, he's kinda …"

"Seductive?"

"More like cheesy."

"Early 21st Century slang. Is cheesy good or bad?"

"Bad."

"But bad means good, doesn't it?"

"Not on that one, Jack," I said, sitting down on the pilot seat.

The Doctor joined the conversation as he descended the ladder and stood next to me.

"Are you saying I'm not handsome?"

"Oh, you certainly are," I whispered softly so as not to make myself heard.

A blush settled on my cheeks as I heard a deep chuckle coming from the Doctor. It seems I was heard when I didn't want to be. Never mind.

Rose explained to her boyfriend that the TARDIS had to fill up on the fault that was in Cardiff. She quickly told the story with the Gelth too. But judging by his face, Mickey had long stalled after the explanation on refueling. But that did not stop Rose from continuing and she ended up doing a high-five to the Doctor and Jack. It looked like five-year-olds having fun like crazy and claiming to be clever.

"Oh my god, and you think you're smart?" Mickey asked in disbelief.

The trio answered, while I giggled with laughter. Jack took the opportunity to give a friendly pat on Mickey's cheek.

As we had the day free, we decided to go eat—my gurgling stomach and that of Rose's helped a lot in the search for an activity. But before going out, having been warned that it was winter outside, I went to get my long coat. It was while going to retrieve black mittens that I noticed something on my bed. A scarf. A special scarf. I put my hand on the soft woolly fabric before smiling softly. I circled my neck several times before leaving the rest hanging. It fit me perfectly and fell to the same level as my coat. I was not going to walk on it. I adjusted the scarf in front of my face, making sure it hid my mouth a little but if I smiled it could be seen.

I thanked Sexy for her gift and I finally set out to get out of the TARDIS. It was a shock for the Doctor to see me with a replica of his old scarf.

"B-But is ... that scarf...?"

"Yup!" I said, exaggerating the "p."

"How?"

"Tardis's gift!"

"I feel like she loves you more than me," he moaned.

"Careful Doctor, she loves me so much, she could let me steal her," I teased, winking at her and caressing the console.

He glanced suspiciously at his ship. Sexy seemed to laugh at the Doctor, as the lights flickered happily and beeping quickly. As soon as I walked in the door, the smell of salt invaded my nose and my lungs. I took the opportunity to inhale deeply and take advantage of this pleasant smell. On my right I could see Cardiff Bay. And behind the Tardis was the water fountain, which was right above the headquarters of Torchwood 3. So, I was above Torchwood. A slight feeling of uneasiness settled inside me. Torchwood was still under the London regime, so I couldn't trust the Torchwood from here completely. Plus, I don't even know if the immortal Jack was here today.

"Wait, the Tardis. We can't just leave it. Doesn't it get noticed?"

I felt my smile come back while I watched with great affection this box so bigger on the inside, a beautiful marvelous blue box.

"The Tardis has a chameleon circuit that allows her to take on the appearance of his environment," I told Mickey, drawing the attention of the three to me. "Should we have been in the past, it would have probably taken the appearance of a statue or a column. But the Doctor landed in the '60s and the Tardis got stuck in this form. I can't tell you the face he made when he found out," I snickered, glancing at the man in question. "And I think that if he repaired the circuit Chameleon, the Tardis would keep this appearance. "

Rose wondered how I could know all that when the Doctor rolled his eyes as I spoke of his first incarnation.

"But that's what I mean!" Mickey adds with a smile. "There is no more box like this nowadays, so doesn't it get noticed?"

"Rickey, let me tell you a few words about the human race. You put a mysterious blue box in the city center and what do they do?" Resumed the Doctor before putting his hands-on Mickey's shoulders, as he remained silent. "They pass by. Don't insist anymore and let's go."

The Doctor took the lead while walking towards a bar or restaurant near the wharf. I quickly joined his side, but still leaving a space between us.

"People assume the Tardis is a sort of modern art exhibition," I confided to the Doctor. "And that's when they notice the Tardis despite the perception's filter."

"Ah ... you know, about the circuit. Didn't you tell me you didn't know anything about 'classics'?"

"I said I didn't see them. I know a few pieces here and there, but I cannot do a whole lecture," I finished shrugging.

The group and I walked to find a restaurant at the end of the dock. We had a table for five and ordered our food and drinks. It was while waiting for our dishes that a woman entered the restaurant and went to our table.

I had already seen this woman somewhere; I was sure of it. And it was certainly in an episode. She had with her a paper and an envelope.

"I'm looking for some ... Alvia?" She asked, reading instructions on the paper. "I must give you this letter."

"From who?"

"I received the order to tell you that it came from my boss, and that you would understand," she said with a frown, not understanding all this mystery around the letter.

And indeed, I understood. The woman in front of me. It was Suzie Costello, the one who was going to kill three people for a glove and get resurrected by stealing Gwen Cooper's life. I unconsciously pinched my lips in a neutral expression as I watched her. And the boss was Jack, of course. What did he want? I took the letter she handed me, thanking Suzie for bringing it to me. The woman left without a look back and without a word.

All had their eyes fixed on the letter I held in my hand. I returned to observing it and to see if anything was written on it and indeed, there were some things written on the front of the letter. In a well-written calligraphy made with a fountain pen and blue ink was written: Alvia Saxon.

Seeing the name that accompanied my name I pinched my lips again. If I had the opportunity, I wouldn't pick this family name. On all my identity papers I bore the name of Saxon. But when the Master was going to appear, I was probably going to have so many problems.

"I didn't know that your last name is Saxon," commented the Doctor, leaning towards the letter to read the two words. "Why didn't you tell us? Don't you like your last name?"

"It's not the name that bothers me, it's the person who will wear the same name and what will result," I confessed without specifying my thoughts.

The Doctor frowned at my confession. He suspected that I was referring to someone in the future. But ignoring his doubt, I returned to my letter. I opened it to remove a letter folded in half. When I opened it, I read:

Let's have dinner.

QG T

7:45 p.m.

Come alone and be beautiful

Can't wait to see you, Foxy.

You know who I am.

An amused smile settled on my lips while reading the words written on the paper. I replaced the paper in the envelope before putting it in the left pocket of my coat.

"What was that?"

"I've got a date tonight. For dinner," I explained with a laugh in my voice.

"Ooh," cooed Jack, suddenly interested. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"Let's say it's the man who gave me life in this world. It's thanks to him that I have identity papers."

The group nodded understanding. Although the Doctor frowned; of annoyance or jealousy, I could not define it. But his mood was cut off when the waiter finally arrived with our orders and we ate. For the first time since I arrived in this world, I ate a fish n'chips.

During the meal, Jack began telling us anecdotes about his former job as a scammer and as a former Timekeeper. All his stories were crazier and more amazing than the others. So crazy, that we were all out of breath from laughing constantly. For my part, this was the case. I was against the table, tears in my eyes and red faced as I laughed. It was hard to stop laughing and my lungs begged for as much air as I could inhale.

"I swear! I swear! The white things turn out to be tusks! Real ones! Oh, and he was furious when he woke up."

"How could you not know it was there?" asked the Doctor.

"There were fifteen of us, completely naked. I was there and said: 'I didn't do anything!'," Jack continued. "Then he roars, we run away, Brakovitch falls and I tell him …"

"I knew we should've turned left!" Cut off Mickey.

We laughed again as Mickey stole Jack's reply.

"Hey, that's my line!"

We kept laughing but suddenly the Doctor spotted something and got up to see this thing in question. I turned and laughed before I saw the Doctor read a newspaper before turning it around and showing us the Slitheen on Downing Street. His face was troubled.

"The day was so nice!"

It was when I saw the newspaper, and my good mood fell immediately. A knot settled in my belly as I slowly looked up at the Doctor. It was the 11th episode before the end of the series. In a short time, we will be on the Five satellite, with the Daleks. And the Doctor was going to regenerate into his tenth persona. Even though I had spent a lot of time with this Doctor, I felt like it was too short.

Jack of course asked what the problem with the woman on the newspaper was. The Doctor sat down at the table and began to tell what had happened. Spaceships crashing into the Thames 'slightly' destroying Big Ben, destroying 10 Downing Street while we were still inside, and all the information about the Slitheen family. We had agreed to visit Margaret regardless of her plan. So, we gathered as much information as possible about her.

After paying for our meal, we headed towards the town hall. I readjusted my scarf as we climbed the stairs watching the foursome invade the steps of the lobby as if they owned the building.

"According to our information, she is the last member of the Slitheen, a criminal family of the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius." Jack announced, removing his gloves and scarf. "It takes human form by slipping into a skin. Okay! Attack Plan: Strategy 57/56 is applied. We cover all the exits of the ground floor. Doctor, go to exit 1. I cover the exit 2. Rose, the 3 and Mickey, the 4. Alvia you take the one you want, understood?" Jack ordered.

While Jack was talking, the Doctor ended up looking at him in surprise at Jack's sudden handling of the place. Rose was trying to understand the plan and Mickey ... Mickey was just lost. I was feeling sorry for Mickey. He had been written as a character that was a little naughty and comical, but it was so humiliating for him. I really appreciated the development of Mickey's character in his last appearance. It seems that his time in the parallel universe had been good. But for the moment, it was not Mickey's agent from Torchwood, a Cybermen fighter. It was Mickey the Idiot, the one who lived in ridiculous situations and who was angry that Rose abandons him to travel in space.

"Excuse me." Finally intervened the Doctor with a little severity. "Who's in charge?"

"Sorry. Waiting for orders, sir!"

"Right, here's the plan." Assured the Doctor with the deep voice of authority before pausing and smiling. "Like he said, good plan! Anything else?"

"This is the reason why we don't take you seriously," I sniffed with humor.

"Present your weapons!"

And we all pulled our phone each in turn. The quartet had what was an antique for me, a Nokia 3310. I looked out of place with my touch screen phone from 2017.

"Ready," we all said.

The phones chirped as they prepared for quick dialing, and I only gently tapped the screen to turn it on.

"See ya in hell," Jack said, and ran off.

The Doctor and Rose also left on their side. I stayed with Mickey who was more than lost. I hit his arm with my elbow before nodding towards where we were going. He was walking quietly, and I urged him to hurry just in case.

I watched the corridors carefully, wanting to be ready to run when the time came. That's when Mickey started a conversation.

"It's crazy ... you've lived almost a year at Jackie's, you're adventuring with the Doctor, Rose and that guy, but I still don't know who you are."

"Life is full of mystery ..." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"Not that I must blame you. You saved me with Jackie when there were those green things on Downing Street. Plus, the Doctor seems to be rather taken with you," he continued. "At least it's not Rose, he murmurs bitterly."

It was this bitterness that forced me to stop, I turned my head towards him before finally speaking.

"She doesn't deserve you ... Rose, I mean. I know I'm not able to judge your relationship, but I know that somewhere there is the perfect person for you."

"How would you know?" He asked with a little anger in his voice.

"I know you do not know me much, but you can trust me. When I tell you that there is someone for you, it's true ... "

I was going to say other things when our phones rang suddenly. In a fast movement we put our devices close to our ears.

"Slitheen heading north!"

Mickey and I shared a look and headed for our post. We were much closer than Mickey could have been alone in the series. I managed to make Mickey avoid the housekeeper's trolley and get a foot stuck in a bucket. I managed to somehow run faster than Mickey and as I saw the exit getting closer, I took a sprint. As soon as I was outside, my eye caught a movement and I swung my foot in a rapid movement in the air, banging the person running, which turned out to be Blon Slitheen aka Margaret. She began to moan with pain, and before she could run away, I grabbed her in a basic Aikido grip that I hardly remembered, and I didn't think I had the opportunity to use outside my old dojo in Lyon. I tore out of her hands what had to be a teleportation device.

Rose came first, followed by Jack, the Doctor, and Mickey. Jack whistled in surprise at the scene I was presenting.

"Nice shot Alvia, that's a beautiful fish you caught."

"A totally random kick and 2 years of Aikido," I proudly boast. "I was the mascot of my dojo!"

I suddenly threw Margaret's rescue device to Jack, who caught it in the air.

"Teleportation," I said to the group's curious eyes. "Although I guess she could have charged you Doctor, and that would have been a good joke, but I prefer to save time. "

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at the mention of saving time.

"It's persecution! Why don't you let me go? What did I ever do to you?"

"You mean apart from trying to kill us and destroy the whole planet?" I snorted, releasing Margaret, who stood up with difficulty and without my help.

"Yes! Why take so much care on this stupid piece of rock?"

"Because we're the stupid idiots who live on it!" I replied.

I swear I heard the Doctor mutter that he was not a moron.

After this nice little talk, the Doctor intervened to put him between her and me. Especially since she gave me a glare that really did not say anything good. Like almost the same look as an angry, hungry bear. A look that said, "I'm going to do something terrible to you." It reminds me of a song by the way ... what was it called?

A few minutes later we were in his office, having passed a young secretary who seemed horrified to see the Doctor again. We were alone with her, as she was complaining about becoming a native. The two non-humans as well as the native humans of this universe who were in the room were discussing the project of the nuclear power station which was as if by 'chance' on the Cardiff fault. For my part, since I was reliving the episode, I preferred to walk quietly in the room, hands in pockets. My eyes fell on the bottles of champagne that were on the side.

Did I tell you that I had developed alcoholism? I'm not proud of it and I try not to drink, but I could not take my eyes off any bottle of alcohol. And I had the misfortune of experiencing my first hangover a few days after the Gloria Trax III incident, though I don't drink at the typical Landes parties. It's horrible to become an alcoholic, and even more to be aware of it. Fortunately, I had help: the team Tardis. they made sure that I didn't drink at every party we went to, and then to my surprise the Tardis. Any alcohol that could have been on the ship had simply disappeared, even Jack's hypervodka.

I looked at the man who had the space surfboard in his arms. Explaining to Mickey and Rose what it was. My eyes finally turned to the Doctor who was not moving and was silent. He was staring at a banner, the project banner where he wrote "BLAIDD DRWG" but also "Llwynog" as a partnership.

"Where did the name come from?" Asked the Doctor, initiating a new topic of discussion.

"What? Blaidd Drwg? It's Welsh."

"I know, thank you. But how did you think about it?"

"Chose it at random, it sounded good, that's all." Margaret answered, getting closer to the Doctor. "Does it matter?"

He turned around with a frown. "Blaidd Drwg …"

"What's it means?" Asked Rose slightly worried.

"Bad Wolf," I said in a dark voice.

Are you scared of the big bad wolf, Doctor? I thought seriously. Bad Wolf was such an important entity for this world and for the Doctor. I would do everything for this entity to create itself, even force Rose to look at the heart of Tardis. It is true that I am one of the companions of the Doctor, but I will never forget that I am only there because he wanted me on the Tardis. I would never pretend to want to replace the true companions of the Doctor, let alone those who were extremely important to him. I was kissed by the Doctor, yes. But that might not mean anything. Many people must kiss the Doctor or vice versa. I'm not the first and I will certainly not be the last.

"I've heard it before …" said Rose with a haunted voice. "Bad Wolf ... I've heard that lots of times…"

"Wherever we go, two words following us ... Bad Wolf."

"How can words following us?"

Because they are sent through all of time and space, I mused.

"And Llwynog? What does it mean?" Jack asked, looking at the name of the partnership.

"I'm not sure," Margaret hesitated. "But it seems that's the fox."

"Fox? Why a fox?"

"I don't know," she said disdainfully. "It's only a partnership. I've never met the man at the head of the company, the only thing I know is that the leader of Llwynog is so devious and sly."

"Like a fox?" I asked with a thought in my head.

"Exactly."

"Now what's strange is that since I've been here, I've always been compared to a fox." I mentioned looking at the Doctor.

He stared at the void for a few seconds and then changed his mood immediately.

"Nah! Just a coincidence! it's like hearing a word on the radio and then hearing it all day long. And I've already told you Alvia, it's the red hair!"

I admired the Doctor to be able to put aside the biggest mystery as if it were nothing. Really. But I'm not the Doctor. Being too often compared to a fox in this world is too suspicious for me to put aside. So, I made myself a mental note to start doing research and bring this mystery to a stop as soon as this adventure ends.

"Good! Margaret, we'll take you home!" He said, clapping his hands.

"Let her go? Isn't that the easy way?" Asked the captain.

"I can't believe it!" Rose exclaimed. "We get to go to Raxa ... "

Rose stumbled over the name of the planet. Raxacoricofallapatorius, it is rather simple as words when we in France we have "unconstitutionally» and "congolexicomatisation", although the last one doesn't mean anything at all. Thank you, Eddie Malou, for the invention of the last word!

The Doctor rolled his eyes and Rose exclaimed indignantly before trying again and finally succeed with the help of the Doctor. Both burst with joy and an amused smile was on my lips as well as Jack's. But of course, the good things don't last long, and Margaret immediately broke the mood by informing us that the death penalty was being practiced on her planet and that her family had been sentenced to death as soon as she set foot on their own Earth. Despite this intervention, the Doctor got the last words saying that it was not his problem.

So, what were we doing now? it was out of the question to let her escape. Jack suggested that we take her back to the Tardis and see where we are. I took the opportunity to check the time, I had about two hours and forty minutes before I left for my date. Luckily Jack had the voice of reason, since about half an hour later we were in the Tardis—Margaret marveling at the technology of the Time Lords and comparing the Doctor to a God. The Doctor then announced that he would make a very bad god. The Doctor and Jack were connecting the space surfboard to Tardis.

I finally made the decision to head to my room to change. After all I received the invitation where it was written in black and white that I should be well dressed. Well ... not in those terms but it was basically the same.

I told others where I was going even though I had the impression that I had not been heard. I shrugged, too bad for them. When I looked in my dressing room for what I could wear, Sexy helped me by presenting me only one dress. The dress was black and thick enough to keep me warm tonight. Jet black, it was buttoned down with a knot at the collar that was round, and the dress came to my knees. The dress had sleeves that stopped in the middle of my forearms too. I had enough room to put a few bracelets or a watch.

I showered quickly and then put on this dress with a pair of black tights, a pair of black velvet pumps with thick heels and not too high. I could run with this pair without much risk of falling. I sat in front of the mirror in my office, brush in hand. I combed my hair in my usual hairstyle: free except for the front locks which are braided and pulled back before being restrained by a rubber band. I put on my makeup lightly and when I put the flesh-colored lipstick on my desk I had finally finished. I just put a watch around my left wrist, put on a long warm black coat offered by Sexy and put my phone in one of the pockets of this coat and I was finally ready.

My heels tapped on the floor and I hummed an unfamiliar tune. I arrived a few minutes later in the main room. Rose and Mickey were gone. I buttoned my coat before meeting Jack's eyes, he hissed at my outfit.

"Damn it, Alvia. I don't know who you're being so pretty for, but he's definitely a lucky man."

The Doctor leaned back slightly to see what I looked like. I raised an eyebrow at Jack's words.

"One thing you need to know about me is that I make me happy first. If I decide to dress like this, it's only for me and for no one else. I could have been in pants if I wanted to."

"And that's a very good way of thinking," smiled Jack. "Changing to please someone is stupid."

I made a noise of understanding before heading for the exit.

"Good evening everyone, have fun!" I exclaimed, speaking to the Doctor and Jack.

As soon as I walked outside, the men wished me a good evening, although that of the Doctor held a little reluctance and delay—the door was almost closed when I heard his voice.

The cold winter wind bit my cheeks and a big smile settled on my lips as I took advantage of the winter freshness. I loved winter, although there was no snow, I enjoyed this season a lot, much more than the others. I looked at the water fountain and glanced at the slabs on the floor, before having my attention on my cell phone that vibrated suddenly at a message.

On the screen I could read 'go through the main entrance' I put away my phone and I immediately made the way to the main entrance of Torchwood 3. I didn't even have to look for the button to activate the opening of the entrance door since it was already open. As I remembered, I headed to the main hall of Torchwood HQ successfully. As soon as I arrived, the person who invited me gave me a radiant smile.

"Hello Alvia."

"Were you that impatient to see me, Jack?"

He gave me his Colgate smile and opened his arms to invite me into a hug. I took on myself and I settled in his arms. He surprised me by lifting me up and spinning me in the air.

"You do not know how much I miss you, as well as Rose and the Doctor!"

"I have a little idea, but now I have a question: how did you know it was safe to see me?"

"I can't really say, timelines and all…"

"I understand, spoilers isn't it?" I said, winking.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Now, I didn't invite you to stay in these empty and cold rooms, let's go back to the surface."

No sooner had he said that, were we back up. But we did not go out the same way that I took. We took the elevator which stood in front of the fountain and behind the Tardis. I panicked for a moment that the Doctor could see me with the Future Jack, but this worry disappeared immediately when I looked a little further—Margaret and the Doctor walking towards a specific destination.

"Madame, me permettez-vous de vous inviter au restaurant?" Jack said, with a horrible but gentlemanly French accent, showing me his arm.

I surrounded mine around his while responding.

"Mais faites, mon bon monsieur, faites!" I said, taking a false bourgeois voice.

We laughed like children while our footsteps took us to a restaurant that seemed to breathe luxury and refinement. I was hoping this was not Haute Gastronomy because generally the meal was clearly not proportional to the price. My hope was not in vain because of what I could see by looking at the dishes, which seemed rather rich.

A table master took us to a rather quiet table with a view of the bay. The menus had been given to us and our drinks were already served. And how much I enjoyed the glass of sparkling white wine that came from Italy! While waiting for our dishes, I took the opportunity to observe Jack. He had the same hair as the Torchwood series in season 3 and 4 of Doctor Who. He was wearing a navy-blue shirt with suspenders and on his seat was his famous navy-blue coat, just as on his wrist he was wearing his vortex manipulator. It seemed a little older, if I was not mistaken, but this Jack was over 200 years old.

After a sip of my drink, I put it down to finally start a discussion.

"Thank you, by the way for identity documents. It really helped me."

"It's nothing, you're like my little sister."

"Whom you wanted to sleep with, at first. I don't know how you treat family, but I'm sure they're not for sleeping with."

"Like you said, it was the beginning. And then you never let me have a chance! And you should thank me for Downing Street too, without me you would never have been able to enter."

"Actually, I don't remember much of what happened there, I know that at some point we were locked up with no way to escape—the Doctor's plan, by the way—And I drank alcohol that was in the closet."

"You were drunk on Downing Street in full crisis with Slitheen's family around?!" He said incredulously. "I thought you were the most reasonable of us all."

"It was my first invasion!" I defended myself. "I had just met the Doctor and got shot the same day. Forgive me for wanting to drown my stress in alcohol!"

Our meals finally arrived, and I ate excellent pesto pate with a burrata on top. During the meal, Jack and I discussed the fact that I had to inform the Jack who was in the Tardis for some actions to help me. Help in the creation of my identity papers and his intervention for Downing Street. We agreed on a letter that I would give to Jack, that he would keep on him all the time and that he would only open in certain conditions. One of the conditions being: getting abandoned by the Doctor and being alone in the past on Earth.

We were having dessert and I was about to finish my drink when I stopped my hand. The liquid was shaking in my glass.

"Jack."

He lifted his head from his dessert, spoon in his mouth. I showed him our glasses vibrating this time and a few seconds later, the windows of the restaurant exploded into a thousand pieces. Thanks to Jack's reflexes we were not struck by the splinters, but this was not the case for some people.

"Tardis!" He exclaimed as people scream and the ground shuddered. "You must go! Don't worry, I'll pay the bill!" He said, gesturing to me.

"No way to have a proper goodbye in this world," I half joked. "Thank you, Jack, for this evening! "

I put on my coat and ran as best I could to reach the Tardis. But the ground was cracked, and some pieces were coming up while others were coming down. The city would certainly have some work to do here. And because of this soil, I had to remove my shoes to run better. I held them for a moment in my hands before giving them up. I resumed my run to Tardis, making some detours when the road was impossible to cross. But finally, the box was only a hundred meters away. I looked for my keys before freezing myself realizing that I had forgotten them in my room. I had an idea in mind, and I hope that Sexy would help me otherwise I would look like an idiot.

Just a few meters from the Tardis still running, I raised my left hand before snapping fingers. It was with relief that I saw the two doors open allowing me to slink inside and they closed immediately. I then saw Margaret holding Rose hostage while she ordered Jack for the dimensional pan surfboard. I searched my pockets for anything that could help, at that time I had no idea that the pockets of my black coat were bigger inside. But when my hand stuck a small glass jar like a perfume sample, an idea came to mind. I gently squeezed the vial between my fingers, taking it out quietly before holding it up in Margaret's arm.

"Let her go, Blon ..." I ordered coldly.

She turned around with an evil smile on her lips. I moved, climbing the steps to get to her level.

"Otherwise what? What could you do to me?" She sneered wickedly.

"I press on this spray and you are covered with acetic acid," I bluffed with bravado.

She hissed at me but didn't let Rose go, so maybe I had to do something else. I don't even know what liquid is in this jar, for all I know it could be perfume!

"And you think that quantity is enough to hurt me?" She said haughtily. "There is not even enough to blow my arm. All you do is just save time."

"Yeah! I save time," I confirmed with sudden joy. "But I do it brilliantly, Blon. You know why? Because I know how everything will end. I know it the same way that I knew that to kill one of yours it was enough to throw a good dose of vinegar. Let me just confess one thing: Sip Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen died this way."

"You killed him?!" She hissed with hate, throwing Rose away from her.

She seemed ready to kill me, slowly advancing towards me, claw in the air. I stepped back with every step she took, glancing at the console, in almost the same place where it would open.

"Not directly no! But it's thanks to me that Jackie and Mickey are still alive right now," I boasted, doing everything I could to not show the fear that was increasing with every step she took.

"There is a change in my plans, I explode this damn planet and I take you with me," she spat with venom. "I can't wait to make you feel triple the pain I felt when he died and when my family died. Death will only be sweet compared to what I would do to you!"

These were the last words I heard from her. As soon as she stopped, the console opened violently, leaving the heart of the Tardis to radiate her body in light.

"Opening the rift, of course, means to pull this ship." Finally intervened the Doctor. "But it's not just any old power source. It's the Tardis. My Tardis. The best ship in the universe."

"What's that light?" Rose croaked, rubbing her throat a little.

"The heart of the TARDIS. This ship's alive, Blon. You've opened its soul."

Blon seemed to look directly at Tardis' heart. And my gaze was also drawn to the heart, even though I knew it was dangerous. But it was as if an invisible soft hand turned my face for me to look at it. And indirectly I did it, but I did not see the heart; I was too far away to see it, but I could see everything around the heart, something like time itself and something else…. But my sight was hidden when a hand was on my eyes.

"Don't look, Alvia. Your mind could burn or who knows, worse."

The Doctor's voice made me think again. I closed my eyes—my eyelids tickling his palm that disappeared as soon as he felt my eyes finally closed. Only the sounds around me allow me to guess that he closed the console, hiding the sight of the heart of his Tardis. And that invisible contact that I felt on my cheeks disappeared. A pat on my shoulder let me know that I could open my eyes again. I immediately helped the Doctor and Jack in the closing of the fault too.

A quarter of an hour later we had finished, and I wiped a bead of sweat running down my neck. The smoke was rising from the grating and the room was dimly lit. I finally sat on the pilot's seat, massaging my aching feet.

"Well done, thank you all," thanked the Doctor.

"What happened to Margaret?" Asked Rose.

The Doctor looked down at the empty suit.

"Must have been charred," guessed Jack. "She applied her own punishment."

"No, I don't think she's dead."

"Where did she go, then?"

"She looked in the heart of Tardis. And even I don't know how strong that is. The ship is telepathic, as I already told you Rose. Gets inside the mind and translates extraterrestrial languages. Perhaps the raw energy also translates the deepest thoughts and desires," said the Doctor, kneeling to take a closer look at the skin-suit.

He fumbled in the suit and took out an egg—all smooth and made of minerals like the chicken egg but more like an egg made of another organic component and with tentacles on the top.

"Here she is!"

"She's an egg?"

"Returned to childhood."

"She's an egg?"

"She can start all over again, start from scratch. If we take her home, give her to a different family, tell 'em to bring her up properly, she may be better."

"Or may be worse," I intervened by cutting off Jack. "But for the moment she is an egg."

I finished this sentence with an amused chuckle, the effects of the alcohol that I drank just now finally here. Rose suddenly remembered Mickey and went looking for him. I fell on the chair and giggled over the whole situation.

"How was the date?" The Doctor asked, putting Blon on the console near the rotor.

"Ooh, is that jealousy I hear in your voice? But it was a good meal."

"How many drinks did you have?"

"Two? maybe three, I could not finish the last drink you know," I replied.

"Go to sleep Alvia, you're drunk," sighed the Doctor.

I suddenly got up when I heard his northern accent change a word.

"Oh! I like your accent!"

"Thank you?"

"J'adore l'accent écossais aussi, j'arrive jamais à prendre l'accent écossais c'est si dur!"

"What?" Asked Jack.

"She speaks French and she says she likes the Scottish accent and never manages to imitate it."

"Wait a minute, Alvia is French?"

"Yup. And this French is drunk and needs to sleep."

I pouted on hearing the underlying order given by the Doctor.

"You're no fun ..." I paused, getting up from the chair.

"Life is not fair, now go to your room."

"Are you my mummy?" I asked in a good imitation of a child's voice.

Jack snorted to keep from laughing and the Doctor raised an eyebrow in a look that said, 'not impressed'. Nevertheless, I went to my room. As soon as I could put on my pajamas and I was almost ready to go to bed, the Doctor opened the door of my room and put his head in it.

"Oi! Where are your shoes?!"

"I left them outside. I can't say where exactly there are. Now get out and have a good night!"

He grumbled at my rudeness but wished me goodnight before closing the door and leaving. I settled in my bed, sleep not wanting to come.

So, I began to remember the scene where the Tardis had its heart open. The thing I saw and surrounded the heart ... I was sure it looked like the Time Vortex, but there was something more, like eyes. Two big eyes of amber and gold, filled with mischief cunning and slyness that stared at me. There was anger deep in those eyes, covered with expectation and patience.

But patience for what?

* * *

Here's the translation of the french sentences.

"Madam, will you allow me to invite you to the restaurant?"

"But do, my good sir, do!"

"I love the Scottish accent too, I never get to have the Scottish accent it's so hard!"


	13. Day in TARDIS - After Boom Town

little chapter, waiting for the next two chapters, which will be at the end of the season 1 * crying *.

enjoy chapter and don't hesitate to leave me a reviews, a fav or a follows!

bye!

* * *

Three thumps against the door of my room woke me up.

"Alvia! Wake up we're going to Raxacoricofallapatorius!"

I moaned a"no" while I pressed my head, which was pounding painfully, in my cushion. I pulled the blanket over my shoulder and rolled it into a warm and comfortable cocoon.

My door opened and light flooded my room.

"Go stand, groundhog! I swear you sleep more than Rose and Jack together!"

"Go lose yourself elsewhere and let me sleep!"

The Doctor chuckled.

"Ah, I see, hangover?"

"Nooooo, sleep. Not enough sleep, I don't wanna goooo ..."

He sighed.

"All right stay in the Tardis. You don't know what you're missing ..."

He closed the door of my room before reopening it and saying:

"And I want the Tardis in the same state as when I left!"

I grunted an unintelligible response and he went off again, turning off the light. I went back to sleep. A few hours later, I finally got up, catching up on the hours of sleep I needed. I yawned as I headed for the kitchen, preparing two slices of buttered bread and a cup of black tea with sugar.

I chewed my sandwiches as I pondered what I was going to do while waiting for the return of the Doctor, Rose and Jack. I suddenly remembered the mental note I had made the day before. I nodded to myself, I was going to gather all the information available about the fox. I was hoping to find as much information as possible thanks to the Tardis. I rubbed my hands to remove most of the crumbs and took my mug towards my room. I dressed comfortably in chill mode. A tracksuit pant with writing "procrastination" on the side of the legs and a graphic black t-shirt with a pizza drawn on it.

I put my mug on my desk and my eye caught something new in the right corner of my room. And indeed, where there was an empty wall before was an enormous corkboard with some bug already installed. I pulled out a white sheet notebook and a four-color style and started to write down all the keywords that came to mind, every time I was compared to a fox, all the mention of the fox I noticed.

As soon as these three things were written I pinned them, then I made a quick return to the library, returning with a stack of books in my arms. I flipped through all the books, looking for a mention of a fox or the characteristics of the fox in all this literature. Charles Dickens, Aesop's fables, Jean de La Fontaine's fables, the little prince of St-Exupery, and many more books. I did a tour in the oriental culture too, looking at Kitsune fox-woman.

The fox is present in western and eastern cultures. But both have a different point of view on the fox. While in Europe people see the fox as a symbol of evil, mischief and cunning, in the West the people see it as a benevolent figure as well as malicious, but they also have this cunning aspect. From scavenger to deity, I do not know what to think.

Several hours passed while I was doing my research but there was a moment when my mind was threatening to explode. I added a last note that mentions or compares to the fox to time and space. I added a drawing of the engraving I had seen on the wing of the bomb that was in the ship Chula Jack and a watercolor illustration of what I saw yesterday when the heart of the Tardis was open.

I finally retreated, observing the work I had done but my questions were still unanswered. I rubbed my tired eyes before hearing a noise outside my room. So, I headed for this source of noise to get into the console room where the trio from before was on the ground breathless and panting, looking unflattering look but a huge smile on their lips and shoulders shaking with laughter.

"I guess your adventure went well on Raxacoricofallapatorius?"

The Doctor raised his hand to say he was going to talk as he tried to catch his breath with a lot of effort.

"Margaret will grow up in a good family and Jack flirted with the royal princess and was sentenced to death." He explained a few minutes later. "The sentence being immediate meant we had to run for our lives"

"You really are a bunch of good-for-nothings , you know?" I sighed with an amused smile, shaking my head.

"And you? What did you do during our absence?"

"I rested, I read, drew …" I listened vaguely without mentioning my research. "I tried to find a way to conquer the world, but I was put off by the paperwork," I finished with humor.

"_Paperwork_," mutters the Doctor with horror. "This is the only thing that holds a lot of people. Fortunately for us, you have no claim to dominate the world. You would be strangely effective."

"How should I take it?"

"As you want Alvia, as you want."


	14. Bad Wolf & Parting of the Way

Here it is! the last chapter of season 1! The two last episodes of the season 1 ( Bad Wolf & Parting of the Way) are in one chapter.

I'm so proud and so sad now. 'Cause saying goodbye to the 9th Doctor wasn't easy. he's my favorite doctor with the 10th (at the same level).

I'm not gonna start the writting af the new season this week-end. maybe i'll do it next week but not in the next two days.

I won't hold you back any longer, enjoy this huge chapter! as the usual you can leave me a reviews, fav or follow! SEE YA MY DUDES !

* * *

Arms brought me back to consciousness. I tensed immediately, pushing the aid a few seconds later and falling to the ground again.

"Get up, go! Get up!"

I grunted when the arms lifted me up again, but I finally managed to stand. My head was fuzzy, I could not remember my own name, why do I have two in my mind?

"Hey ... How are you? The transmat did not do too much? Can you tell me what is your name?

"Yeah ... One second, I'm ..."

I opened my mouth to say my name before taking a break. No, the name I was going to give wasn't the right one.

"Alvia, yeah it's Alvia, I'm Alvia," I said a moment later, head still a little blurry. "Where am I?"

I observed the person who helped me, he was a tall, gentle man. Blue eyes, hair and beard a light brown color, and prominent cheekbones. An almost perfect lookalike of Tom Hiddleston, but with the voice of Loki. There was that little noble tone that made all the difference.

A man shouted an order, but my head was still too vague for me to understand.

"We're running out of time," Tom's look-alike said. "Listen, I need you to sing. No matter the song. I need a song to be able to dance. You have to do it, do you understand?!"

His hands, pressing urgently at my shoulders, hurt me slightly but made me understand the urgency of the situation.

"I think I can do that but tell me, where am I?"

He was going to answer me but two people with microphones and earphones, including the man who was screaming a few seconds before, took us by the shoulders and led us on a sort of theater scene merged with a TV set. My heart was beating urgently, and I could feel it in my being that something was wrong with this whole situation.

I was walking slowly, and certainly too slowly for those adults in a hurry.

"Team Vulpes, it's yours in 10 seconds! 10 ... 9 ... 8 ..."

And so, began a countdown to zero. I looked nervously at my partner, thinking of any song that I could sing and whose lyrics were complete. In all my repertoire, I could not choose a song and I had to do it.

The lights came on suddenly, illuminating a panel of five metal android. And suddenly the discomfort I felt was totally justified. I was on the satellite Five. I was on this damn satellite with the ghost threat of the dalek above us. I was on the satellite five where Bad Wolf was going to be created and the Doctor regenerates.

"2 ... 1 ... 0! Everyone is silent, turn on the jury!"

"Welcome to Adaptation!"

The jury woke up, their eyes were only red and blue, making their eyes cold and empty. I felt like I had demons in front of me.

"You are the Vulpes team, present your name and your role." Asked one of the androids.

"I am Jölvun, I'll be the dancer."

"I am Alvia and I would sing ..." I answered with a few seconds of hesitation.

"Welcome Jölvun and Alvia, please present us your first song."

First. The Android had said first, I was going to have to sing several times, oh my god ... How was I going to do it?! And if I chose a song that did not exist in this world?! Calm down Alvia, take a classic to start. You will adapt the rest afterwards.

"So?"

"I ... I'll sing 'Moi Lolita' by Alizée."

"A French variety? Commented a male android. I approve in advance."

"Do not excite yourself so quickly Androfour. They might not last as long as you think," teases an android woman.

He sneered badly and a wave of anger and determination settled in my chest. I gloomily stared at the piles of scrap metal, joking at the words as I felt Jölvun's hand take mine. I glanced at him and saw him swallowing hard as he prepared to do the best possible service for us. The first notes of the music rang, and I closed my eyes to concentrate better.

"Moi je m'appelle Lolita…"

And so, I began to sing, articulating the French words, a language I did not speak as fluently as before. And while I was singing the words that at the end of the first chorus flowed without my thinking, I opened my eyes again, admiring Jölvun's dance, my eyes met his and I smiled at him. We both had a confidence that we did not think we could have. And soon that came the end.

Jölvun gasped softly and caught his breath, sweat shining on his forehead. I wiped my tongue over my dry lips, praying to drink and remove this annoying dryness.

"Well done!" Congratulated the jury. "This service was excellent; you pass the first round. Next round after the break."

The jury paused as soon as the lights dimmed a little. A woman came to bring us towels and bottled water. I drank the bottle in one go and returned it to the woman before she passed me a new bottle that I drank this time more quietly.

"You have a beautiful voice," smiled my partner.

"Thank you," I said, blushing at the compliment. Even if I'm not really sure of the veracity of this compliment. It's been so long since I did not sing, I'm too scared to sound wrong and get lost.

"We are going to survive," said Jölvun with a hint of motivation. "We must survive."

I nodded with a motivated smile. I wasn't going to live my last moment here, I wanted to survive this station, to live new adventure in the TARDIS with Rose and the Doctor. I wanted to meet Sarah Jane Smith, Martha, Donna; survive the Master and Doomsday.

The lights became stronger again and the jury resumed their journey. I was ready to sing again, for our survival. And we did it, we survived. I sang "Warrior" by Imagine Dragons, "Glitter & Gold" by Barns Courtney, "Brave New World" by Kalandra and many others. Jölvun and I were sweaty, tired and yet despite every song, every turn we had a confident smile. But it didn't last, as I sang a chorus a door opened violently, making me jump and stop singing. A real disaster.

The Doctor's voice sounded, saying that the Games stopped immediately, I turned my head towards him, wanting to tell him anything that could reassure him. I could see Jack and Lynda on those steps, Jack having a weapon in his arms.

"Oooh, what a big mistake to have stopped in the middle of a chorus. This fault just made you lose, it's so bad you were a few rounds of the reward." The jury said coldly.

Their clogs opened up, letting me see the deadly laser. Unconsciously, I pulled Jölvun's hand to go to the exit and finish with all this and survive.

But nothing generally happens as I expect, and as I ran, I had the strange instincts to push Jölvun, throwing my phone to the Doctor. I barely heard the Doctor's voice as I felt something intensely cold hit my back, I did not even have the opportunity to see the Doctor one last time before everything went white then black.

* * *

He could not believe it; she was dead again. Like at Van Statten's. And her last act was to save the man who was with her and to throw her phone now to the ground, screen hidden and certainly broken.

The Doctor walked, empty-minded as he passed his hand through the pile of dust that was a few seconds ago the quick-witted redhead with a silver tongue. He could no longer think, any plan that had existed before had disappeared as Alvia had done. Everything was dust.

The screaming shouts were of little importance to the Doctor; he had become deaf to everything. But Jack's hand made him come back to himself. He had to save Rose too. They couldn't lose anyone else.

The Doctor got up, walking furiously towards the exits without waiting for Lynda, Jack and Jölvun who had decided to follow them. He too was stunned by the death of Alvia. This forced partnership had created a link between him and her, they understood each other on the moment they had shared song and dance.

They finally spotted Rose, who was on the floor of the Low Link. When Lynda realized it, she urged them to hurry, the Anne Droid being the most ruthless robot of the station. So, they hurried, they managed to save Rose from death. They were all arrested, photographed and waiting for the moment in a cage, before being sent to a prison, without possibility of judgment and or a trial.

The Doctor accompanied by Jack managed to make the guards unconscious. They took advantage of this opening to collect weapons and go upstairs to 500. Jölvun kept Alvia's phone in hand. In the elevator he handed the device to the Doctor.

"I may not know her, but I guess if she threw you this device it was for a good reason. "

The Doctor picked up the phone and found that the screen did not have a scratch. He pressed the button to light it. The blue light of the screen penetrated his eyes as well as the image and words that appeared on the lock screen. But these last two cooled even more the Doctor of horror. On the screen was an image with several Daleks and the words were as follows: Daleks satellite control five, death = transmat.

"We must hurry," the Doctor hissed coldly, clutching the phone again. Before Alvia dies for good."

The coldness heard in the Doctor's voice the rest of the people in the elevator. He put the device in one of his pockets to avoid losing it or worse, to break it.

* * *

I woke up as a familiar buzz sounded in my ears. The little light that passed through my eyelids bothered me and forced me to open my eyes. The place where I was standing cooled my veins and increased my fear and stress to a much higher level than any danger before. I got up quickly and I ran back near a wall, watching in horror at all the dalek around me. I was on one of the dalek vessels, which contained more than 2,000 daleks. I couldn't even make a comment that could reassure me. Even guessing how the dalek managed to build something with a whisk and a sucker didn't make me smile.

I swallowed hard, praying with all my strength that I would not be killed here and now. Doctor ... Hurry, I do not know how long I could last here ...

"ALE – RT! ALE – RT! WE HAVE BE – EN DETECTED."

"IT IS THE DOCTOR! HE HAS LOCATED US! OPEN THE COM – MUNICATION CHAINS!"

One of them approached me.

"THE HU – MAN WI – LL STAND! STAA – ND! STAA – ND!"

I obeyed as quickly as possible. A few seconds later a holographic window opened in the air and I sighed in relief to see the Doctor, Jack and Rose alive. Lynda was there too, as well as Jölvun. The Doctor looked disgusted at the daleks in front of me, rolling his shoulders as his eyes became darker. It was as if all the fury was wrapping around him. This man wasn't the Doctor; he was the oncoming storm, the predator of the daleks.

"I WILL TALK TO THE DOCT – OR!"

"Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello!" He replied with a mocking gesture and a fake smile.

The latter faded as soon as he had finished speaking.

"THE DA – LEKS STRATAGEME IS ALMOST READY. THE FLEET IS ALMOST READY. YOU WILL NOT INTERVE –NE!"

Le docteur ne le fera pas? Ohohoho… pensaient-ils vraiment que le Docteur allait obéir aux daleks? Surtout quand la race humaine et l'univers était autant en danger?

Oh, vraiment? Et pourquoi cela?

"WE HAVE THE OUTLA – NDER ALSO KNOWN AS YOUR COMPA – NION. YOU WILL OBEY OR SHE WILL BE EXTE – RMINATED!"

The outlander? I guess I am ... How do they know?

"No."

A smile settled on my lips as I saw everyone around the Doctor looking at him as if he had become a kind of madman. But people, have you never known this? The Doctor is a crazy man, the most brilliant crazy man. The ensuing silence was only hilarious, as even the dalek seemed to never have foreseen this answer. Not that they expect much from the Doctor, even after all this time.

"EXPLAIN YOURSE – LF!"

"I said no."

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS NEGATIVE?"

"It means 'no.'"

"BUT SHE WILL BE DESTROY – ED!"

The Doctor stood up, staring intently at me with a slight grin at the corner of his lips. The smile that had grown on my lips was so inappropriate. He continued his diatribe with passion.

" No! 'cos this is what I'm gonna do: I'm going to save her." He said like a true hero, full of fire. "I will save Alvia Saxon from the middle of the daleks fleet. Then, I will save the Earth. And finally, I will eliminate from the sky every last parasite, like the daleks that you are!"

"BUT YOU HAVE NO WEAPONS! NO DEFENSES! NO PLA – N!"

Never. He never has weapons, or defense and even less of a plan. He's only a man with his blue box and his screwdriver.

"Yeah ..." he said with a smile. "And that scares you, huh? Alvia?"

"Doctor?"

"I'm coming to get you."

"Bet you are, Doctor." I told him with a smile still inappropriate to the situation.

The Doctor finally pointed his screwdriver at the screen, and it disappeared a few seconds later, cutting off the communication. The joy that had grown in my chest little by little, disappeared in a gust of wind as soon as the daleks spoke again.

"THE DOCTOR IS INITIATING HOSTILE ACTION!"

"THE STRATAGEM MUST ADVANCE. BEGIN THE INVASION OF EARTH!"

"THE DOCTOR WILL BE EXTERMINATED!"

"EXTERMINATE!" Sang the daleks in chorus.

Like the 2000 daleks in the ships were doing it and it would not surprise me much if the other 199 ships with the rest of the daleks were doing it too. They sang for a few moments before stopping and resume their activities. I settled against a wall because I felt as if I could collapse at any time.

One of the daleks turned around and approached me.

"YOU KNOW THE DOCTOR! YOU UNDERSTAND HIM! YOU WILL PREDICT HIS ACTIONS."

"I'm not going to do it," I said angrily. "I will not predict his actions."

"PREDICT! PREDICT! PREDICT!" It orders hysterically.

"TARDIS DETECTED!" Informed another dalek. "IN FLIGHT. LAUNCH MISSILES! EXTERMINATE!"

"It will do absolutely nothing, these missiles will be useless," I confessed darkly with a concealed joy.

"YOU HAVE NOT PREDICTED WELL," said the dalek in front of me.

But only a few seconds later, the sound so characteristic of TARDIS was heard. A weight that I did not know to have in my belly and on my shoulders retreated. Little by little the structure of the TARDIS materialized around me and the main room appeared before my eyes. As soon as I was able to move safely in the room I did it. I did not need the Doctor's order to lower me as Jack killed the dalek. As soon as this wandering nightmare was shot down, the Doctor walked quickly towards me with his arms slightly open to warn me that he was going to take me in his arms. I sank into the embrace, breathing in the smell of the leather jacket. His head rested against the top of mine a few moments before we recoiled.

"Are you okay?" He asks looking for any injury

"Better since you're here ... I don't recommend this cruise ship. The staff isn't nice, and we sleep on the floor," I tried with humor.

He snorted as a smile reached his lips before he left to look at the corpse of the dalek. Rose ran to hug me, and Jack complained about not hugging.

"I always keep the best for last," I joked, winking at him.

"Welcome home," he said warmly, taking me in his arms. "You were lucky, we only had one shot. We've drained all its power supply, it's just a pile of useless junk now."

I pulled back, pulling out of the hug to put a hand on the console. The comforting buzz of the TARDIS made me smile.

"How can they be here?" Rose asked. "I thought they were extinct."

"One minute, they are the biggest threat in the universe and the next, they disappear from time and space."

"They went off to a bigger war," said the Doctor, examining the corpse. "The Time War..."

"I thought that was just a legend," he said with surprise.

"I was there. The war between the Daleks and the Time Lords. With the whole of creation at stake. My people were destroyed, but they took away the Daleks with them. I almost thought it was worth it. Now it turns out that they died for nothing."

I approached to take the Doctor's hand and look at him with sadness, I could only guess the sorrow of discovering that his greatest enemies had still survived while he had sacrificed his own people for nothing. I could only sympathize and suffer in silence when I thought back to the number of times, he had to face the daleks. The number of appearances on TV had made the dalek the recurring enemy of the series, spoiling the whole story of the enemies. They were the deadliest creatures in the series, capable of killing in one ray like the curse of death. They were the creatures who had fought the most socially and technologically advanced people. They were the creatures who had the plan to destroy reality itself.

"There are thousands now," Rose said. "We could hardly stop a dalek at Van Statten's. What are we going to do?" She asked.

"No good stood round here chin-wagging! You humans could do it a long time. The daleks have the answer I want! Come on, let's meet our neighbors!" He exclaimed happily clapping his hands.

"Wait what? Doctor!" Rose screamed as she saw the Doctor leave outside.

As soon as he was outside, we followed him, and we heard the dalek scream their slogan as they shot at him. Fortunately for us, the shots seemed to be stopped by a force field produced by the TARDIS, thus ensuring the safety of the Doctor but also ours and the TARDIS. When the daleks realized, they stopped their fire and looked at us silently, not seeming to understand the situation. The Doctor laughed at them, raising his hands.

"That's all? Useless! Nul points." He said before coming back to us to lean against the TARDIS and watch us. "It's all right, you can come. That force field can come back anything."

I quickly hit Jack in the back when he was going to speak to say that the force field could almost hold everything back. It was an important rule, never to make his enemies aware of any possible weakness. I finally left the TARDIS because I couldn't see anything from where I was - that is, behind Jack. The Doctor began a dark monologue to scare the daleks.

"d'you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek homeworld? The Oncoming Strom ... You might've suppressed all your emotions, but I see, and I know that there remains in you a little spark, buried deep in your DNA. And that's fear."

The daleks nervously moved their eyepieces. Of fear? With impatience? I cannot say.

"Doesn't it just burn you when you face me? So, tell me, how did you survive the Time War?"

"THEY SURVIVED THROUGH ME," spoke a dalek with a much more serious voice.

The Doctor turned to the grave source with shock. I swallowed, noticing the familiar blue light of the daleks' eyepiece, but much higher. The Doctor took a few steps forward and the emperor of the Daleks finally appeared in the light, dominating us all. I was speechless at the size of this Dalek. I did not remember he was so tall. I knew it was huge, but it was a huge difference from the series.

"Alvia ... Rose ... Captain ... This is the Emperor of the Daleks."

"YOU DESTROYED US, DOCTOR. THE RACE OF THE DALEKS DIED YOUR HELL, BUT MY SHIP SURVIVED, IT FELL THROUGH TIME, DAMAGED BUT ALIVE."

"I get it," interrupted the Doctor.

"DO NOT INTERRUPT!"

"DO NOT INTERRUPT!"

"DO NOT INTERRUPT!"

I tensed at the order of the daleks, who had the tone of hysteria. It seemed that Rose and Jack were like me. But the Doctor was simply annoyed, strong and unwavering at the intervention of the Daleks.

"I think you're forgetting something. I'm the Doctor. If there is one thing I can do - it's speak. I've got 5 billion languages and you haven't a single way to stopping me. So, if anybody's gonna shut up, it's YOU!"

He spat out the last words with such fervor and fury that the daleks retreated backward. Well, at least they have the intelligence to back down when necessary. The Doctor turned his attention to the emperor again with new joy.

"Okey Doke!" He said. "So, where were we?"

"WE WAITED HERE," rejoined the Emperor, ignoring the Doctor's intervention. "IN THE DARKNESS OF SPACE, DAMAGED BUT REBUILDING. CENTURIES PASSED AND WE QUIETLY INFILTRATED EARTH SYSTEMS, HARVESTING THE WASTE OF HUMANITY. PRISONERS, REFUGEES, DISPOSSESSED ... THEY ALL CAME TO US. THE BODIES WERE FILTERED, PULPED, SIFTED."

A grimace of disgust appeared on my face and a back-taste of bile went up in my throat when I imagined what the victims could have felt.

"THE SEED OF THE HUMAN RACE IS PERVERTED. ONLY ONE CELL IN A BILLION WAS FIT FOR DEVELOPMENT."

"So, you created an army of Daleks out of the dead."

"That makes them partly human," I said darkly.

"About half human?" Guessed Rose with disgust.

"THOSE WORDS ARE BLASPHEMY!" Exclaimed the Emperor with a rising voice.

"DO NOT BLASPHEME! DO NOT BLASPHEME! DO NOT BLASPHEME!" Repeated a dalek with more hysteria than usual.

"EVERYTHING HUMAN HAS BEEN PURGED. I CULTIVATED PURE AND BLESSED DALEKS," jubilant the Emperor with madness.

The Doctor turned when he thought over the words used by the Emperor. For a few minutes, I no longer hid my disgust towards the emperor. The dalek was dangerous and had a despicable way of thinking, adding in addition a concept of blasphemy and therefore religions for them disgusted me more than ever.

"And I, who thought they could not make me sicker than before ..." I said disgustedly. "I was wrong."

"Since, when did the Daleks have a concept of blasphemy?" The Doctor asked, clearly disturbed.

"I REACHED INTO THE MUD AND CREATED LIFE. I AM THE GOD OF ALL DALEKS!"

"ADORE HIM! ADORE HIM! ADORE HIM!" Psalms the same dalek behind us.

"They're insane!" Said the Time Lord with bewilderment. "Hiding in silence for 100 years would make anyone mad. But it's worse than that ..." He declared in a breath, moving slowly and looking at them with pity. "Your own flesh has made you mad. The stench of humanity ..."

He shook his head, spitefully. Was it sad for them?

"You hate your own existence. And it makes them more deadly than ever."

"At this point in their lives, they're more like scavengers than anything else ..." I said, glancing at the dalek behind me.

"You're right Alvia ... That's why we're going!" He said, turning to the emperor.

"YOU MAY NOT LEAVE MY PRESENCE!"

"Because you think we'll stay here wisely?" I ran towards the TARDIS. "You are tying the tentacle in the eye!"

The Doctor's hand rested on my back to move me faster in the TARDIS. He turned to throw a shameless smile and close the door. Outside, the daleks were shouting and shouting their deadly slogan over and over again. The Doctor put his head on the wood of the door, impotent. As confident as he could be, I could see he had no idea what to do next. I went down the stairs, looking worriedly at him. I wasn't going to ask him how he was; I was sure he was going to tell me he was fine but that wasn't fine, at all. So, I did what I did best so far, being there for him without saying anything. Without words and in silence.

My hand slowly approached his leather jacket and finally settled between his shoulder blades, I rubbed his back gently and his shoulders stretched a little before relaxing a few seconds later. He finally turned to face me, his eyes thanking me as he said nothing. I gave him a slight smile and a nod before returning to Rose's side.

"We have to warn the Five Satellite, not just the staff," Jack leaned against the console and with his arms crossed.

"We must prevent the daleks from boarding, preventing the remains of humans on this station can be done following," I corrected. "If only one dalek arrives inside, we are all dead."

"But how to stop them?" Rose asked with concern.

"We must hurry, the fleet will not delay before moving. I do not know how fast their ships are, I would not rather lose the little time we have."

"Let's do that," said the Doctor.

He drove his TARDIS back to the station. As soon as we were on board, we gave the order that the station be evacuated, and that the planet be planned. I cracked my shoulders, this being a reflex due to stress. It was then that I realized that my coat was bothering me more than anything else and that there was a weight missing in the left pocket. The memory of throwing my phone at the Doctor came back to my mind and I made a note to ask him to return it to me when everything is calmer, preferably when the daleks are dead. However, I threw my coat on one of the metal railing that surrounded the raised platform of the console room, took the letter for Jack that was brought to me by Sexy and then tied my hair in a short ponytail before returning outside.

The Doctor and Rose were talking with those who broadcast the satellite before discovering that the fleet was starting. More than two hundred flying saucer-shaped vessels approached, and we had little time. The Doctor rushed to the office to remove the panel that hid the wires and pull the wires in question before leaving them on the floor. He asked us about his plan, knowing that we did not understand what he was doing from the start. I finally understood and it was at the same time as Jack.

"The Delta wave ..." I let out a breath.

"Give a medal to the man and the redhead!" Congratulated the Doctor with cables in hand.

"A Delta wave, are you serious Doctor?" Jack asked incredulously.

"A Delta wave!" He confirmed with enthusiasm.

"What's that?"

"A wave of Van Cassadyne energy!" Explained the captain. "Fries the brain! If you meet a Delta wave, your head gets barbequed!"

"And this place can transmit a massive wave that would wipe out the Daleks!" Finished the Doctor.

"Great, go for it then! Start!" Encouraged Lynda with a Y.

"Trouble is," he resumed. "Even with my intelligence, for such a wave, it should take about – ooh – three days. How long till the Fleet arrive?"

The programmer checked his computer before answering.

"Twenty-two minutes!"

"Then we should get down to it now," I said, rolling up my sleeves and heading for the Doctor. "Tell me what to do, I learn on the job."

He nodded and told me what to do as he sped up the pace to remove the wires. While I was helping the Doctor with all the wiring, Jack took the rest of the group under his wing and explained how to keep the dalek away from here. Rose joined me in stripping the wires when the Doctor called her, and I kept my eyes on my actions as I thought darkly about the near future. We were going to say goodbye to Jack, and the Doctor was about to dismiss Rose. Lynda says goodbye to us, although it was with a great deal of embarrassment to laugh awkwardly and look back at Rose. Finally came Jack's turn, I got up leaving the bare cable on the ground.

"It's been fun," Jack tried to keep the mood light.

We all smile softly.

"But I think this is goodbye," he said finally serious.

"Don't say that," Rose said. "The Doctor's gonna do it, you'll see."

"Rose ..." He said, taking his face in his hands and looking at her intensely. "You are worth fighting for."

He put a brief kiss on his lips before turning to the Doctor. He smiles again.

"I should never have met you, Doctor." Said Jack before taking his face too. "I was better when I was a coward."

He kissed the Doctor the same way he kissed Rose. He turned to me; I took him in a hug.

"I forbid you to press your lips with mine, when I know where they have been before!"

"I would not dare," he chuckled as he pulled away from the hug. "I do not regret our meeting, foxy."

"And before you leave," I added, taking the letter out of my pocket. "Take this letter with you. Open it when everything is finished, and only when you are alone. It's only with these conditions that you have the right to read what I wrote on it."

He took the letter, looking at the navy-blue envelope, before putting it in an inside pocket of his jacket. He finally tells us goodbye.

"We see each other again in hell."

And he ran off. Rose tried to convince herself that he was coming back and questioned me about the contents of the letter. But I didn't answer, and the Doctor did not dare meet her eyes. The silence was heavy and unpleasant.

"Let's go back to work," I said softly.

I sat down on the floor cross-legged and stripped cables on the knees. The Doctor finally returned to building the Delta Wave and told me what to do while Rose was sitting and playing with useless cables, she had long abandoned the project to help us when she understood with difficulty the slightly technical terms that the Doctor used.

"Suppose ..." Rose started.

I froze at Rose's voice. The moment was near ...

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You were assuming something, Rose." I said softly, giving a bolt to the Doctor.

"I was thinking and obviously, you can't, but ... You have a time machine ... Why can't we go back a few days and warn them?"

"Soon as the TARDIS materializes somewhere, we become part of the events," he explained. "We're stuck in the timeline."

"That and the fact that warn them will create a Paradox," I added. "Like saving your father, it's a bad idea."

"Yeah, I thought so," she said curtly.

I looked up at Rose, considering the comment I had just made.

"Sorry ..." I murmured slightly ashamed.

"There's another thing the TARDIS could do… It could take us away from here. We could leave, let history take its course and got to Marbella in 1989."

"Yes, but you would never do that," she said softly, smiling.

"But you could have asked. You too Alvia. It did not even occur to you, did it?"

"I'm too kind! And you, Alvia?"

"Too coward."

"I don't think so, you're the bravest of us all," she refutes shaking her head. "You are a good person."

"I'm trying to be..."

The computer made a noise in the background and the Doctor said with a warning look that the Delta wave was forming but he wondered how long it would take. The Doctor ran to the computer, followed by Rose to read the results. Those weren't good at first, as he lowered his head in discouragement, Rose asking how bad it was. But he stood up suddenly, calling Rose and complimenting her on being a genius for giving him an idea. He kissed his forehead quickly before leading her to the TARDIS by speaking too fast and using technical terms that made no sense. I could hear the Doctor tell her something and my name before seeing the Doctor leave the TARDIS. He looked at me while I was still on the ground.

I reached out so he could help me up.

"You know, don't you?" He asked softly, pulling me up. "You always know that kind of thing. So, tell me, how does it end?"

I remained silent before opening my mouth.

"Everything is fine. The Daleks dies. You are still alive, and we still have adventures with the TARDIS."

"Even after all this time, you're trying to comfort me. You lie Alvia but thank you."

"Am I?" I asked with a broken voice.

He nodded softly before bringing his hand to my cheek, his cool palm gently resting against my jaw and his thumb stroking the skin of my cheeks. A tear rolled on the same cheek and was removed by his fingers. I grabbed his sweater with both my hands as I watched in silence, memorizing the details before we left.

"I would have liked to take you to your proper home," he admitted.

"And I wish I had more time with you ..." I confessed gently referring to this regeneration.

He put his lips on my forehead for a long second before Rose's voice reached us, making us separate. I looked at the door of the TARDIS, looking at her with desolation. I let go of his black sweater silently leading me into the TARDIS. As soon as I closed the door, holding against her, I heard the sonic and the TARDIS dematerialized.

"Doctor what are you doing?" Rose screamed at the doors I was blocking. "Can I take my hands off? Its moving. Alvia, move away please."

But the Doctor couldn't answer her, just as I wasn't going to move away, let alone answer her. Rose crossed the room, trying to move me out of the TARDIS.

"Doctor! Alvia, let me go! Let me out! What are you two doing?!"

Rose finally managed to move me from the door, my back banging the metal rail as she frantically knocked on the doors. I turned my head toward the console as a hologram of the Doctor suddenly appeared, speaking to Rose.

"This is the Emergency Programme One. Rose, now listen, this is important. If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing: We must be in danger, and I mean fatal. I'm dead or about to die any second with no chance to escape."

"No!"

"And that's okay. Hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after you, and that's what I'm doing. The TARDIS is taking you home."

"I won't let you! Damn it, Alvia, help me!"

I was close to tears.

"And I bet you're fussing and moaning now - typical. But hold on and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return for me. Emergency Programme One means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine. So, this is what you should do: let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust. No one can open it; no one will even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner. And over the years, the world will move on and the box will be buried. And if you want to remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all. One thing. Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life."

The hologram flickered before slowly fading away. Rose shouted at me and the TARDIS, ordering her back to the space station. The dematerialization finally stopped, while Rose shuffled orders without having any idea of what she was doing. Rose left the console to run outside. A gentle, cold, bitter breeze stroked my neck as I didn't move from where I was, letting my tears flow gently. I took a deep breath, burying all the sobs in my throat and wiping the tears from my face.

Rose came back inside to plead with the TARDIS to move and I to come help her. But Sexy and I did not do anything; we did not help; we did not move. Rose finally left the TARDIS and Mickey's voice was heard. A few minutes later they went away, without me.

I took a step towards the console not knowing what I was going to do, and the Doctor's voice came back to my ears.

"Alvia? I guess you knew I was going to die, and I had programmed a message for Rose. This is for you. I cannot bring myself to let the TARDIS die alone ... And I know it's too much to ask from you, but could you take care of the TARDIS for me? I've written you some instructions so that you can fly the TARDIS without too much danger. I want you to take the TARDIS on a trip of your lifetime. Save lives and restore the smile to others? 'cos I know everything will go wrong without me. The more the universe is saved the more it needs to be saved, it's a treadmill... Can you do it for me and the TARDIS, Alvia? Live like I did? Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind. But especially Alvia ... Be fantastic."

The hologram vanished like the previous one. A sob mixed with laughter escaped my lips.

"Oh Doctor, you'll always be able to surprise me ..." I exclaimed in a broken voice. "But we can't, huh Sexy? We have to save the Doctor and the only way to do that is to let Bad Wolf create itself ..."

The TARDIS slowly hummed at my words, as if she agreed, but only reluctantly. At the same time, I would not be happy either if I had to open my heart - and survive - to save someone, even if it was to save the reality itself.

I let go of my hair and shook my head so that it could go back into place and then headed to the kitchen for a cup of tea. As soon as I finished my last sip and went back to the console room, the main door opened violently as Rose entered followed by Mickey. She glared at me as she continued to converse with her boyfriend.

"The TARDIS must just make the return trip."

"But we still don't know how," replied Mickey nodding to me to say hello.

"The Doctor always said that the TARDIS is telepathic. This thing is alive. It can hear us."

"And it's actually a 'she' but hey ... And do not vulgarly treat the TARDIS as a 'thing', it is a beautiful box that lives and thinks like you." I muttered, gently caressing the coral.

"She's not listening, there ..." Mickey added pointing at the rotor.

"We need to get inside," she explained. "Last time I saw you, with the Slitheen, this part was open. There was this light, the Doctor said it was the heart of the TARDIS. If we can open it, I can make contact. I can tell it what to do!"

"Rose ..." he said softly. "If you go back, you're gonna die."

"That's a risk that I've gotta take." She said confidently. "'Cos there is nothing left for me here."

"Nothing?"

"No."

She avoided Mickey's eyes, missing the pain in them.

"Why not let Alvia do it for you?" He asked.

"There's no way I'd let this girl do something when she just refused to help me," she growled.

"And this girl, as you say, is in the same room," I replied curtly, crossing my arms. "And I won't help, I refuse to open the TARDIS to look at her heart, who knows what could happen."

"See?! She will do absolutely nothing to help the Doctor! I wonder what you are useful for!"

"What am I useful for?! Can you hear yourself? I'm not a servant or worse a slave. I don't have to answer for your whims."

"Leave Rose ..." cut off Mickey before Rose replied again. "If you think it's a good idea, then let's open this thing."

"She's not a thing," I hissed.

Mickey and Rose decided on the most effective way to open the console panel and they agreed on the use of a chain and Mickey's car. I sat on the console seat, watching Rose set up the chains on the console and watch him give Mickey orders. The chain was tense and as smoke from the overheating of the wheels on the tar came in from time to time in the TARDIS, the chain finally broke. Rose threw her foot against the console out of frustration. I just watched in silence, Rose had come to become Bad Wolf and who am I against this overpowering entity?

Jackie went a few minutes later into the TARDIS. She stood next to her daughter who stood against the console and stared into space. I got up to the kitchen to let the Tylers chat quietly. My hand was unconsciously looking for my phone that was with the Doctor, the silence in the TARDIS was heavy and all I wanted to do was put a background sound not to go crazy by the absence of noise. I heard Jackie and Rose shouting at each other and I sighed rubbing my face with my hands, minutes later it was the stifled sobs of Rose. I raised my head, staring at the ceiling before hearing a faint "knock" against the table. My gaze rested on the object that had appeared. A sonic screwdriver. A perfect replica of the 9th and 10th screwdrivers, although the bright blue end was actually orange red.

"Why are you giving me that, Sexy?" I asked, frowning.

A sudden spike of pain settled at my temples as an image of the console as well as a bolt that opened appeared in my mind. As soon as these two images stopped appearing in my mind, the pain disappeared immediately.

"Aah ..." I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Okay, I understand, don't do this again please."

I got up, grabbing the screwdriver and headed for the console, exactly in front of the panels that I had to unlock. Indeed, the Doctor seemed in addition to a padlock, having put a lock that broke only through sonic waves. So, I pointed the screwdriver as if it was an extension of my arm, like a magic wand and I pressed the button while I thought of the order of unlocking. A click hit my ears a few seconds later and I left the lock intact, knowing it was going to break in not long. And when we talk about the wolf, the door opened again with Rose holding in her hands a new chain, I hid the screwdriver in the back pocket of my high-waisted pants and I gave way to Rose to install the hook of the chain, which was a little thicker than the one before.

The chain tensed instantly, and a grinding sound was heard a few seconds later. Rose encouraged Mickey until finally the lock slackened and the console opened, leaving his heart visible to all and Artron Energy particles flying in the air. I retreated quickly, because of the abrupt breaking of the lock and the opening of the console. The TARDIS closed its doors and dematerialized as soon as possible. Rose stood in front of the opening, letting herself be illuminated by the golden light, her hair lifted from a breeze and suddenly the light ran into her eyes and a few minutes later her eyes were completely golden, shining and moving like the Time Vortex.

As the TARDIS flew to the Doctor, I could feel the fear running through my veins and my instincts screaming to flee, flee as far as possible from here. Rose / Bad Wolf looked at me suddenly, her gaze, which until then had been calm, became furious with anger. Her chest swelled with anger and a growl flowed from her lips as she stared at me.

"You ..." she growls in her ethereal voice. "Of course, it's you, it's always you ... Always manipulate others to achieve your ends," she spat.

"W-What are you talking about?"

You don't know?" She sneered. "You don't know?! Don't play the innocent, your silver tongue and your lies doesn't work with me anymore!"

"I don't see what you're talking about, who do I even talk to? Rose or Bad Wolf?"

"Don't laugh at me, you know very well who I am. I do not know what little game you play me I declared 'no more'! 'No more' would I have to suffer you! And 'No more' will this world have to suffer you!" She yelled with rage.

Rose / Bad Wolf raised his hand towards me, and I swallowed hard. Golden tendrils floated to me and I could not move, paralyzed by fear. She was only a few inches from me, when the TARDIS moved violently rocking me and Rose throughout the console. My head banged against one of the coral pillars and darkness invaded my vision. Before I fell into unconsciousness I could hear.

"Why do you prevent me from chasing this carrion?!"

* * *

The Doctor was shocked to see his TARDIS materialize. He had resolved to die, hoping that Rose would live a normal and happy life and that Alvia would accept the favor he asked him holographically; but he was even more shocked when he discovered that Rose had opened her TARDIS and looked within her to become the Bad Wolf entity. This same entity that killed the dalek in a few seconds and resuscitated Jack by turning it into a fixed point, making the Doctor's temporal senses cringe about the latter. When he removed all the power of the Vortex from Rose's head, he too became an overpowering entity, the only difference being that he was still the same person. And during those few seconds, that he turned to the TARDIS to return the burning power to his true owner, while his eyes shone with gold and that his expression was serious. They met for a fleeting moment amber eyes that stared at him in silence. Eyes that was on another plane of reality but lived undoubtedly at the heart of the TARDIS, in the Time Vortex.

The Doctor exhaled power through his mouth and the memory of amber burning eyes became a mere memory buried in the depths of his mind. When the man did not return to his simple nature of Time Lord he began to smile softly, happy with his nature. He brought Rose inside, gently setting her on the fence. He piloted his TARDIS to park in the vortex before his eye caught Alvia's peculiar red. He walked slowly and knelt as he worried about the brow bone injury and her unconsciousness. He wondered what had happened to make her unconscious. He gently patted her cheek, managed to wake her, should he worry about any commotion?

* * *

"C'mon, wake up ... it's all right, gently Alvia ..."

My eyes fixed on those of the Doctor as soon as I regained consciousness. The pain from the right side of my face seemed to fade as I watched him. He was alive and well in front of me. He helped me up and held my arms until my balance stabilized.

"You're here ..." I sighed with joy. "You're really here."

"I am," he confirmed. "And I really should start believing what you're telling me. As always, you were right all the way."

His smile grew at the same pace as mine, but he disappeared as soon as he bowed down in pain. My throat knotted when I noticed golden lines climbing up his veins.

"You're regenerating ..." I murmured with grief.

"I am and I've got to, or the power of the Vortex slowly kills me."

He seemed to mean something else, but a groan from Rose made us understand that she was waking up too.

"What happened?"

"Don't you remember?"

"It's like…" hesitated Rose, sitting down. "There was this singing…"

"That's right! I sang a song and Daleks ran away." Cheerily invented the Doctor.

"I was at home…" tried Rose struggling to remember. "No, I wasn't, I was in the TARDIS, and…"

Rose continued searching for her memories. The Doctor's gaze fell on his hand, whose veins glittered with gold during a short moment. I put mine on his, gently squeezing him to comfort me and him at the same time. Rose shook her head, guessing it was useless to look for the memory, and she looked at the Doctor as we looked at her. The Doctor laughed softly.

"Rose Tyler. Alvia Saxon."

He pulled back a little from the console so he could talk to us better.

"I was going to take you to so many places. Barcelona. Not the city Barcelona, the planet. You would have loved both. A fantastic place, they have dogs without noses."

We all laugh about the dogs in Barcelona.

"Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke, and it's still funny!"

"So, why can't we go?" Rose asked.

"You might go, too. But not like that," he said without elaborating more than he had just said.

"You're not making sense," she said, standing up.

"I might never make sense again. I might have two heads, or no heads! Imagine me with no head and don't say that's an improvement!" Babbled the Doctor before calming down. "But it's a bit dodgy, this process You never know what you're gonna end up with—"

Suddenly, he is propelled back with a golden glow. He bent forward with pain, squeezing his stomach as if something had hit him there. Rose wanted to rush over, but I quickly went to her, preventing her from going any further.

"Doctor!"

"Stay away!"

He grimaced and moaned in pain as Rose eyed her eyes wide.

"Doctor, tell me what's going on."

"I absorbed all the energy of the Time Vortex and nobody is supposed to do that!" He answered quickly. "Every cell in my body is dying."

"Can't you do something?" She asked horrified at the idea of the Doctor dying in front of her.

"He's currently doing it, he was trying to tell you, but his explanation is more than foolish," I said.

"My people have this little trick, its… sort of way of cheating death... except ..."

He pauses while staring at us.

"Except that ... it means I'm going to change. I'm not gonna see you again. Not like this, not with that daft old face."

"I like that face," I said, making the Doctor smile.

"And before I go ..."

"Don't say that!" Rose refuted.

"Rose ... Before I go, I wanted to tell you, you were fantastic. absolutely fantastic. And you Alvia ..."

"I'm glad to meet you, Doctor. You'll always be my first Doctor!" I smiled as tears threatened to flow.

"You're brilliant ..." he finished.

He smiled a few moments before convulsing and the Regeneration Energy exploded through all the pores of his skin. The heat of the flames warmed my cheeks as I shielded myself from the light as I watched the process. I could see that his skin was moving and a few seconds later the flames disappeared, leaving room for the Doctor. For the tenth Doctor. He seemed slightly surprised for a moment before turning his attention to us, his brown eyes sliding towards me before looking at Rose.

"Hello! Okay -oo ..."

He swallowed before running his tongue over his teeth, his brows slightly frowning.

"New teeth. That's weird. So, where was I? Oh, that's right!" He remembered. "Barcelona."

He began to smile. A big happy smile. I was watching this Doctor and all I could think of was _goodbye nine_.


	15. Christmas Invasion

Guess who's back with a huge chapter ! ME!

in French I have more than 13000 words, which makes this chapter the longest I have ever written. (I wrote more but it was for school and it was less fun)

Anyway, we started new adventures with the 10th Doctor. I have so many things planned, you're not ready for certain things.

hush spoilers ;) !

enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Big smile. A big warm smile. That's how I welcomed this new Doctor. This new Doctor who turned to pilot the console by activating some buttons and levers, also checking the monitor.

"18 hours ... Tuesday ... October ... 5006 ... On the way to Barcelona!" He exclaimed, turning to us. "Now then, what do I look like?" He asked.

I was going to answer him, but as usual in this incarnation, he would not give us the time to answer him. Indeed, he didn't do it.

"No, no, no, no, no, don't tell me anything. Let me guess, two legs, two arms ... " he listed, taking his wrist in his hand. "Slight weakness in the rotation of the wrist ..."

His hands flew to his hair.

"HAIR! I'm not bald!" He said, marveling at his hair and grinning. "Oh – Oh! Big hair! "

He lowered his hands a little, touching his sideburns.

"Sideburns! I have sideburns! Or very bad skin ... " he mumbled before hitting his stomach. "Little bit thinner, it's weird but give me some time, I'll get used to it. "

Then suddenly his face looked like someone who made the most wonderful discovery.

"I ... I have a mole. I can feel it, between my shoulders. I have a mole. But it's all right, love moles! Go on them, tell me! What do you think?" He asked finally, ready for our assessment.

"You look fantastic!" I said with a little laugh wiping the moisture in the corner of my eyes.

He approached a little, smiling big, excited and brown eyes like those of a puppy discovering the world.

"Really?"

"Yeah ..."

"Who are you?" Rose asked suddenly with a small voice.

The smile that had been so big on the Doctor's lips stiffened a little.

"I'm the Doctor," he said puzzled and a little surprised.

"No," she refuted, shaking her head. "Where is he? Where's the Doctor? What have you done to him?" She asked, voice rising.

"But you saw me, I changed! Right in front of you!" He said, gesturing over his shoulder at the place where he regenerated.

"I saw him ... explode and then you replaced him, like... teleportation, or a transfer, a body swap or something. "

The Doctor didn't even try to say anything, he seemed to have lost the words. Rose passed in front of me, pushing him at arm's length. He swayed on his heels, not seeming to believe what she had just said.

"You're not fooling me. I saw a lot of things. Nanogenes ... Gelth ... Slitheen, " she said, glaring at him and lowering her tone on the last word.

I sniffed to restrain the laughter that was coming out of me as the Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Oh my god, are you a Slitheen?"

"I'm not a Slitheen," the Doctor answered calmly.

I don't know how I managed to keep calm and not sneer at Rose's words. I mean, we faced the Slitheen twice but enough times to know that their human skin suits were those of overweight people. Not a skinny person like the Doctor.

"Bring him back! I warn you, send the Doctor back right now!"

"Rose, it's me!" Said the Doctor. "Honestly, it's me! I was dying. To save my own life, I changed my body, every cell, but ... it's still me. "

"It's impossible, you can't be", rejected Rose. "That's not human. "

"Rose, you forget he's not human," I told her, taking her arms and rubbing my hands to reassure her.

"Then how could I remember this?" He asked, coming closer to her. "The first words I told you, trapped in a cellar, surrounded by shop window dummies. Ooh, such a long time ago," he remembered before taking his hand to imitate the scene. "I took your hand… I said one word, one word, I said… 'run'. "

He looked at her for a moment, waiting for his reaction and then ...

"Doctor ..." she whispered.

The Doctor smiled, reassured that she could believe him.

"Hello!"

Rose sighed exaggeratedly before stepping back, forcing me to let go of her shoulders and slide off to one side. The Doctor took off to get to the other side of the console.

"And we never stopped, did we? Through the universe!" He exclaimed with joy and excitement as he activated some switches on the console. "Running, running, running! One time we had to hop! Do you remember?" He asked, starting to hop on the spot as I let out an amused snort. "Hopping to save our life? Huh? All these jumps. All these jumps to save your life. Yeah? Hop?"

His enthusiasm subsided when he noticed Rose's lack of reaction.

"… No?"

"Can you change back?"

The question seemed like a slap for the Doctor.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yeah."

"Oh…"

"Can you?"

"No," he said with disappointment as he glanced down at the floor. "Do you want to leave?"

"You want me to leave?!" She asked with shock and a bit of annoyance.

"No!" He exclaimed quickly. "But... your choice, if you want to go home ..." he tried to justify his words. "We cancel Barcelona?"

"I don't know about you, but I'd like to see Jackie," I finally said. "At least to reassure her, because at the moment she's definitely thinking that we're dying or worse dead."

Rose's look of annoyance faded as she thought of her mother. Honestly, didn't she think about it? This coming from the girl who told her boyfriend that nothing was holding her back on Earth ...

"Is it a clue?" He asked with a slight smile on his lips and soft eyes.

"Mm ... maybe, spoilers," I giggled. "Don't you mind, Rose?"

"No, it's fine... a little walk home is fine by me," she said softly.

The Doctor returned to the console, typing the new coordinates to return to London.

"We're changing to London, the Powell Estate. Oh ... let's say December 24th, consider it a Christmas present."

We got closer to the console as he finished his order. A bell rang and he stepped back, crossing his arms and wedging his hands between his armpits in a defensive position. The Tardis began to shudder and squeak. Shaking abnormally, I looked up with a frown while listening to her creaking, it wasn't like the usual ones, and while Rose and the Doctor were discussing what Jackie could cook for Christmas I listened to the Tardis. There was a sharp and constant whistle that had never been there before. The Doctor began to moan suddenly and at the same time the Tardis was shivering violently.

"I say that I-"

The same thing happened again but at a higher level. The Doctor made a noise as if he were going to puke and then I remembered.

"Fuck! The regeneration is going wrong, you need to rest!" I advised quickly.

Despite my support, he collapsed again this time clenching and convulsing in pain. Rose offered to go get Jack, thinking that he could help, and the Doctor lied brazenly telling them that he was busy rebuilding the Earth. His attention was focused on a button that was behind me.

"Oh, I haven't used this one for years! "

"Doctor, no!" I screamed as he activated the thing behind me.

The TARDIS shook as he pushed me away to drive his Tardis and gain speed, he complimented her as he urged her to hurry.

"Doctor, stop!" I shouted with Rose. "Quickly remember flying, Alvia ..." I whispered, leaning over the console to pilot and stop this madness.

"Let's go through this vortex!" He exclaimed with a hint of madness in his voice before calming a few moments later. "Something's going wrong, I cannot help it. "

He grimaced in pain, moaning about his head. I tried to remove the console, but it was heavier than me and I couldn't move even with the instability of the console.

"FASTER! Let's open these engines!"

"Doctor! Your Barty Crouch is showing off! God, that you are unmanageable, MOVE! Rose don't stay here doing nothing, help me!"

Rose really seemed to want to help me but as soon as she released the console she fell to the ground as she lost the balance she had had. The bell of the cloister began to resonate as well as all other existing alarms. Fortunately for us, only the purple alert didn't trigger.

"What is happening?!" Rose said, looking around frantically.

The Doctor appeared near her to answer, delighted.

"We are going to crash!" He said.

His laugh was totally manic, a real fusion between him, Barty Crouch Jr and unconscious imitation of the Master.

"Do something!" Rose implored with fear.

"What do you think I'm doing?!" I barked. "Knitting?!"

"Too late!" The Doctor sang, turning around the console, laughing. "Out of control!"

"You're going to kill us!"

"And if we die, I'll kill him!" I spat back from the console, unable to do anything. "Rose hang on to something!"

"Here we go! It's Christmas Eve!"

I don't remember what happened next, the Tardis moved so much that I fainted again by banging my head against the console. But I still felt the moment when we hit several times something solid. I think they were buildings and the ground. As soon as the Tardis stopped moving and I waited five seconds to be sure, just not to bump into something else. The hurried sound of the Doctor's heavy boots against the grating told me he was coming out. With a grunt I turned to face the ground and I got up, putting my hand against my aching face only to remove it immediately with a hiss of pain. My fingers touched a wound and my fingers were covered with a few drops of blood.

I went out before Rose, seeing the Doctor faint in Mickey's arms. I rushed to feel the Doctor's neck and take his pulse and sigh with relief when I felt the double pulse.

"What is happening? Who's this man? Where's the Doctor?" Mickey asked as Rose walked out of the TARDIS.

"It's him, it's the Doctor," answered the young blonde.

"What do you mean by 'it's the Doctor'? Doctor Who?"

_Ah!_ I thought with humor as I let out a small, amused snort. Of all the people the Doctor meets, it is Jackie who knew the right question. And the Doctor wasn't even conscious.

"It's the Doctor, the alien with big ears and a northern accent, the same man you slapped Jackie. But he just has another appearance."

"What you say doesn't make sense!" She scolded.

"What I say is perfectly right," I snapped. "Help me bring the Doctor back inside. If the neighborhood becomes curious that's the last thing I want while he's in a precarious state. Mickey, Rose help me lift him. Jackie could you open the doors?"

Rose grumbled about being polite to her mother but not to them. With the help of the blonde we lifted the Doctor's legs while Mickey was busy with the top of his body. And god, he's a heavy guy! How can he be so heavy when he is so thin? My theory is that it's his leather jacket, his pockets are bigger inside and who knows what is hidden inside. It took us twenty minutes and three breaks to finally get to Jackie's apartment. We dropped the Doctor on a bed. For a moment of silence - not to mention our gasping breathing due to the previous effort - we observed the Unconscious Doctor.

"We can't let him rest in those clothes," Jackie said. "Someone has to change him."

"I won't touch the Doctor," Mickey objected quickly. "What if he's absolutely not human under clothing? it's too much for me."

"I have to rest, a lot has happened," muttered Rose. "And I'm still not convinced that this man is really the Doctor..." she added softly.

I glanced at Jackie, telling her that I was going to do it. Rose and Mickey left a few minutes later while Jackie went to get me a pair of pajamas. I closed the door to keep the Doctor's privacy. I swung my eyes between the pajamas and the Doctor several times before pulling up my sleeves and starting to take off his clothes.

I struggled with the leather jacket and sweater, because the Doctor wasn't cooperative at all, and the top was much more complicated. Remove the shoes and socks were very simple and finally came the pants. I didn't move for a few minutes. I swallowed trying to put aside my genes and all that was negative in me.

I unbuckled the belt, mumbling prayers to whoever wanted to hear, and apologizing to myself and the Doctor.

"Sorry that you're recovering Doctor ... the things I have to do to take care of you, you'll be my death and… – oh my God!"

I restrained my laughing with great difficulty. My shoulders shook as I bit my lips to the point of blood. The reason? The underwear of the Doctor, they were banana pattern.

"Obsession for bananas, confirmed."

I switched the pants with the pajamas and then covered the Doctor with the blanket and placed the pillows for his head. Jackie knocked on the door, bringing a stethoscope with her. I thanked him, not thrilled to take a look at Rose who arrived a few seconds after her mother. Put the stethoscope in my ears and I was going to put the tip against the chest, but Jackie spoke.

"We should bring him to the hospital."

"And run the risk of being dissected? I don't think so. If only one cell of the Doctor enters bad hands, then chaos would reign supreme in this universe. No, you have to play the safe card, he stays here. Now hush, I'm trying to hear his hearts."

Jackie mumbled that I was as rude as he was and finally shut up. I finally placed the stethoscope against the chest, listening to the left heartbeat slowly before moving my hand and listen to the right heartbeat at the same rate as the first.

"Both are walking, although they are both slow. I don't know if it's due to rest or if it's his regenerative disease."

"What do you mean by two?"

"The Doctor has two hearts."

"Oh, don't be stupid!" She said scornfully.

I raised my eyebrows at Jackie's tone, I looked at her with an air that said, 'do I seem to be saying anything stupid?'

"You mentioned his regenerative disease, and you seemed to know he could do it," Rose finally said, biting the nail with her thumb. "What do you know exactly?"

"I know that regeneration as we have seen is a faculty only to the Lords of Time. It is a way of living longer by changing all the cells of their bodies, and changing their appearance and personality, although the substance of the person remains unchanged; it is a painful and dangerous process. Regeneration is random, no one knows in advance what they will look like next. Sometimes there are side effects: confusion, unconsciousness, erratic behavior or even loss of memory."

"And we have unconsciousness right now," Jackie commented.

"Just before, he drove the Tardis to crash," Rose added.

"Erratic behavior," I confirmed. "Let's be happy that this is just that. I know he had at one time a bipolar behavior and tried to strangle one of his old companions before stabilizing himself."

Jackie and Rose seemed horrified when I mentioned the strangling attempt. I replaced the cover correctly above the Doctor so that the heat of his body doesn't disappear.

"How do you know that?" Rose asked. "Don't think I didn't notice; how do you know about the Time Lords? "

"Do you remember that I come from another world?"

"Yeah and? I don't see the link."

"Let's say, there were Timer Lords in my world. But not in the same way as here."

"Well ... add more mystery about you." She mumbled as she left the room followed by her mother.

I sighed at Rose's character before going to sit next to the Doctor. I sweep a few strands off his forehead. He inhaled suddenly before exhaling a golden cloud that escaped into the sky and into space. I started watching this new Doctor, even though I had seen it before.

His skin was a bit paler than I remembered and was probably due to the fact that he wasn't healthy, and his freckles were almost invisible. He had no wrinkles yet and his jaw and cheeks were covered with a very slight stubble. His hair was the true fantasy of all the fans of the 10th Doctor and David Tennant and was a bit longer than the Doctor I had met before, especially at the back and on the sides.

I stayed by his side, running my fingers through his hair - which was truly fantastic - scraping his scalp from time to time. The sound of the slamming doorway made me look up. Jackie entered the room with a tray that contained a steaming cup of tea, cotton and disinfectant. She pulled a chair to sit next to me.

"Here you are, sweetheart. A nice and hot cup of tea and stuff to clean your wound."

A sweet smile grew on my lips as I thanked her. There was a moment when I winced from time to time because of the product that was coated on a piece of cotton that was tapped on the top of my face by Jackie.

"Keep quiet, god, you act like a child."

"Not my fault if the product stings," I sulked with little maturity and swelling cheeks.

She gave me an unimpressed look before looking at the unconscious Doctor and asking me, "Will he get better?"

"Yes," I confessed. "He'll be better ... but for the moment, he's sick and needs rest. You don't heal with a snap of your fingers," I continued, snapping my fingers to accentuate my last words.

"You should rest too, Alvia ..." she said softly, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You do a lot; you deserve a break."

I watched the Doctor in silence before answering.

"I guess some free time won't hurt," I conceded. "I have to go looking for something in the Tardis. Can you ask Rose to keep an eye on the Doctor?"

"She left with Mickey at Christmas market."

"Great ..." I muttered. "I'm going for a quick tour in the Tardis and will come back soon."

I got up, finishing my cup of tea and leaving the Doctor's hair. As soon as I was outside, I regretted not having taken my coat when I left the Tardis. I crossed my arms rubbing energetically as I headed quickly inside the TARDIS. The lights that had previously been bright were now dimmed and I couldn't hear its constant humming. She was silent and it bothered me.

I put a hand on the console, reassuring Sexy that the Doctor was doing better. I then went to my room to take a bag that contained my computer. I had to watch season 2, it had been so long since I hadn't seen it. I knew the big lines and some stuff, but the smallest details were long ago forgotten. I also didn't forget to take my headphones. I was already taking risks by bringing out my computer, I wasn't going to take more by letting the episode be heard by anyone. I took advantage of this time in my room to change. I exchanged the blue graphic t-shirt and jeans that I wore for a faded black slim pants with buttons and a thick black turtleneck that kept me hot. I left the Tardis, put on a coat and satchel over my right shoulder and I went back to the apartment.

Back in the room, I sat comfortably in the chair, legs crossed, and computer open on my knees. I turned on the device while connecting my headset to Bluetooth. I watched quietly and without any disturbance the episode of Christmas and the first four episodes of the second season. While the end credits resonated in my ears, I closed the tabs open and glanced at the time. I didn't have the time or the desire to start the double episode with the Cybermen.

After turning off my computer and storing it in my bag, I poured myself a cup of tea. The urge to give it for the Doctor to drink was really tempting, but I knew no way and no technique to make someone drink while unconscious, let alone not suffocate. I nevertheless soaked a piece of cloth with the tea that I tapped on the Doctor's lips, a few seconds later after removing the tissue from his lips, his tongue flicked out and licked the liquid before disappearing. I did the same thing again and the Doctor licked his lips again. Little by little his cheeks took on a healthier color. My cup of tea was now empty, and the pieces of cloth soaked, I was going to get up to take the two objects to the kitchen, but when I got up the Doctor made a small noise.

"Ngk…"

I turned my head towards the source of the noise. I gently caressed his cheek to comfort him before trying to get up again.

"Ngh…"

"I have to go and drop those things, Doctor. I'll be right back." I whispered softly, wondering if he had really regained consciousness or not.

Surprisingly, his hand grabbed my free hand that lay on the bed. I sighed with amusement before putting the cup and the tissues back on the little bedside table and crossing my fingers with his. I put my other hand on the same hand I held and gently rubbed my thumb on the top of his hand.

"You're infuriating sometimes, do you know?" I murmured far too softly to be heard.

And so, I stayed by his side until night fell. There was a moment when I fell asleep too, but I woke up with a soft blanket that covered my back and shoulders that had been installed like a cushion. I still held the Doctor's hand. What had woken me was simply Rose and Mickey who had stormed into the apartment. Rose telling her mother to leave the phone. I wanted to join the rest in the living room, but the Doctor held my hand firmly, I couldn't move.

"Rose! Mickey! Jackie! Come here!" I shouted.

But they shouldn't move until the Christmas tree started moving and rehearsing a Christmas song. Rose finally arrived to move the Doctor. I told them to come here for a little more protection while trying to get rid of the Doctor's grip. Damn it, he had an iron grip when he wanted to!

Mickey arrived quickly and with Jackie's help they moved a wooden cabinet, using it as a blockage until this wooden cabinet was also destroyed. Meanwhile Rose was looking for the Doctor's screwdriver before I remembered that I had the one that the Tardis had given me and that I had put in my computer bag when I changed. Grabbing the bag with one hand and with my other arm extended, I quickly grabbed the scientific apparatus and I put myself in my place before pointing to the tree. I thought of what I wanted to do while I pressed the button.

The red-orange light appeared just as the familiar sound of the sonic sounded and buzzed my eardrums. The tree stopped immediately as if we had paused in a video. I guessed that I could not release the pressure of my thumb on the button because otherwise the tree would come to life and we would be shredded. The pressure climbed to my mind and I let out a sigh of pain while my temple beat furiously with a dull pain and aches. I began to feel resistance in such a strange way that I almost released the pressure on my screwdriver and gave up my hard focus. But a chest pressed against my back and a hand around mine to add pressure to the button. The tree exploded and ended the inner storm and the music. His hands finally let go and I turned to look at him, surprised and worried. He woke up way too soon.

"Remote control. But who's in control," he said for the first time since he suddenly woke up.

He grabbed the screwdriver from my hand, raising his eyebrows, noticing it wasn't his. He got up, taking a warm blue king's robe before heading out. And observe something below. I leaned against the stone guardrail critically watching the robots disguised as Santa Claus. I caught the corner of my eye, the Doctor's hand stretched in the air and pointing the screwdriver to the robots as if he held a magic wand.

Mickey mocked the robots who ran away when they saw the sonic device before the Doctor simply said.

"Pilot fish. They were only pilot fish."

His sudden good health deteriorated immediately. His throat convulsed as he began to cough, and he threw himself back against the wall as he clearly suffered. We all rushed to hold him back.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked frantically.

"I was awake too soon," the Doctor gasped. "I regenerate again and I'm overflowing with energy."

He spat a flush of energy that disappeared into the air. My nose stung with the smell of heat, iron and something else that came from this Energy.

"You see? The pilot fish could smell them from the other end of the galaxy. They eliminate the defense - it's you - and they take me away. It could use me as a battery for hundreds of years," he continued frantically panting with each sentence.

He moaned again, changing his place because of the pain. As he groaned in pain, complaining about his head. I raised my hand to feel the temperature, putting my hand on his cheek I pulled it away immediately, feeling the heat from his skin. He was hotter than he should be.

"I have a neuronal implosion. I need - "

"What do you need?" Jackie intervened with hysteria.

"I need - "

"Say it, tell me, tell me -"

"I need - "

"Anti-pain?"

"I need -"

"Aspirins?"

"Do you want to kill him?!" I exclaimed suddenly.

"I - "

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I don't know - Pepto-Bismol?"

"I need - "

"Liquid paraffin?" Listed Jackie, ignoring the need of the Doctor to speak. "Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E? Food? Something simple? A bowl of soup? A good bowl of soup? A bowl of soup and a sandwich? Soup and a ham sandwich?"

"I need you to shut up!" Managed the Doctor.

Jackie commented on his rudeness and he threw himself down again because of the pain and leaned back against the wall of the building. I grabbed the Doctor's face for him to look at me.

"Doctor, focus! I know what you have, I know what you need, I know what will happen. Now relax!" I ordered slowly but firmly. "The sooner you rest, the sooner you will be back."

He breathed loudly in pain as I ignore the warmth of his skin. He looked down and I smiled to tell him he could trust me.

"Don't worry, Doctor ... I'm in charge, I promise."

It was all he needed because he immediately fell back into unconsciousness. His body fell forward and it took all my reflexes not to fall with him. His face that I had dropped was against my collarbone and I unconsciously stroked his hair to comfort him, or maybe comfort me. I did after all promised to the Doctor that I was in charge. The weight on my shoulders seemed heavy on that winter night.

"Help me bring him back to bed," I asked, shaking with cold.

I picked up the screwdriver and with the help of Rose and Mickey we managed to carry the Doctor and put him back under the covers. But this time, his condition was worse than earlier. While Rose checked his hearts with the stethoscope, I tried to cover his body with the most cover before dabbing a cloth on the warm and wet forehead of the Doctor. The Doctor trembled with cold and moaned in his sleep. Rose let out a trembling sigh before leaving the room in silence. I stroked his cheek one last time before leaving the room to join the rest of the family.

On TV there was a press conference about the Mars mission with the Guinevere One spacecraft. Rose reported that the Doctor's condition was worse than before and that only a heart was beating now. Mickey, who was on his computer, explained to both blondes what a pilot fish was.

"… Something's coming," Rose guessed as she chatted with Mickey.

I hadn't paid attention to what they were talking about. I was focusing my attention on the broadcast conference. The screen suddenly scrambled, before gradually becoming sharper. We had in front of us live the first meeting of humans with Sycorax. When the picture became clear - finally as much as possible at that time - the screen revealed the masked face of Sycorax.

_"... live from the depths of space, on the morning of Christmas_," said the reporter on television.

The alien roared violently on TV, causing the burst of the English trio. I bit my thumb, arms crossed while the TV broadcast Breaking News on the discovery live Sycorax. The world seemed to panic suddenly while being excited by this opportunity. I retreated to sit comfortably on the sofa, watching TV and reports. My mind was running at full speed, thinking about what I could do and not do. I nervously tapped my fingers at the rate of four while I didn't have my phone on hand. Where was he from? Without him I could not try to contact Jack or even UNIT to discuss. The screen suddenly broadcasted a group of four Sycorax in the same position as the Queen group in 'Bohemian Rapsody'. Rose remarked that she didn't understand what they were saying.

"They are the Sycorax," I said suddenly looking at Rose. "They are threatening us and describing us as slaves. Mickey could you find me the UNIT number please. I have a call to make. "

Mickey nodded and quickly found him. I borrow the landline, typing the number and when I pressed zero to speak to a real person. I put the phone to my ear when I heard a man's voice.

"UNIT helpline, which department would you like to access?"

"I am one of the Doctor's current companions. I'd like to talk to Harriet Jones; I know she's in your office. Quickly please."

"One moment please," said the man quickly.

I waited less than a minute before hearing Harriet Jones' voice.

"Hello?"

"Harriet Jones? It's Alvia, remember? The redhead at Downing Street?"

"Yes Alvia! Where is the Doctor? Can he help us?"

"At this very moment he is not in a position to do anything. It's a long story. But he put me in charge for the moment and I had to call you. These aliens, who are broadcast on TV through the satellite, they are not friendly, they came to invade us and turn us into slaves. They have a control weapon, blood control - a specific type of blood - but this control is weak against the instinct of human survival. The control will be activated tomorrow morning, but it is not necessary to have everything will be fine. "

"It's horrible," huffed Harriet Jones in horror. "They must do something!"

"I know, but I have to warn you of some other things! They will arrive tomorrow, the aliens, the Sycorax. Their ships arrived tomorrow, and you will be teleporting tomorrow with other people. When you are on this ship, don't let others speak for you, only the highest authority can speak, and the present case is you. Another thing," I said quickly before Harriet could speak. "Even if you seem desperate, even if you think nothing can be worse than today, keep hope. The Doctor will arrive. He will fix the situation. But we will have to wait ... and we will have to keep hope. I promise, everything will be fine, and everything will return to normal. Can you do this for me Harriet? Wait and keep hope?"

She had a moment's silence before she spoke to me. During this silence I moved, and I went to the kitchen to drink.

"I'll try, if what you say is true, then I'm ready to do it. I am ready to wait and keep hope."

"One last little thing! Please, I ask with the greatest sincerity, don't appeal to Torchwood. Just ... don't do it."

"How are you aware of the Torchwood Institute?"

"In the same way that I am aware of the events of today and tomorrow. And if you have contact with them again, don't mention me. I like to stay in the shadows ... "

"I see ... thanks for your help, Alvia," Harriet Jones said. "Goodbye."

"See you soon," I said, ending the call.

I drank my glass of water before putting it on the counter before returning to the living room to put the phone next to Mickey's computer. The English trio was watching me waiting for a new indication from me.

"Let's go rest and restore our strengths, everything will happen tomorrow in the morning. We must be ready."

"How can you be so sure that the Doctor will help us?" Rose spoke with a sigh in her voice. "This man in bed doesn't help us! The former Doctor, my Doctor, he would not leave us that way he would have found a way to help us. He abandoned us!"

"Juste ce dont j'ai besoin..." I mumbled in my native language. "Listen Rose," I said in English. "Yes, we are going to need him. For the moment, this man in bed, our Doctor, he needs us. He needs us more than ever and I will not abandon him to his fate."

Rose snorted and wiped her tears before nodding. I went back to the bedside of the Doctor. I wiped his forehead and tried to give him the tea I put on his lips, but this time he was too ill to drink the liquid. I sighed as I sat on the floor, back against the wall, thinking of a way to make him drink tea but no idea came. I suddenly yawned, fatigue being felt, and Jackie told me to go to sleep. I did what she said to me and I woke up the next morning because of the sunlight.

On TV, there was a Downing Street live with Harriet Jones talking to the English people to reassure them. Her speech was different but was made to reassure her people. I sipped a cup of tea and nibbled a buttered toast when the windows suddenly exploded, and the walls shook. I ran outside, leaning on the stone ledge to watch the giant ships approach and darken the gray sky. As I kept my head bent to the sky, Rose and Mickey walked out of the apartment with the Doctor in his arms, to lead him to the Tardis.

"Mom will come with the food," she told me, seeing my eyebrows lifted. "We have to hide in the TARDIS, it's the only safe place on Earth. "

"Rose - "

"Listen to me! I don't care if the Doctor trusts you to be in charge! I'm tired of your haughty and arrogant attitude when you tell us stuff that only you seem to know! For what I know you could invent everything and lie to us!" She spat with malice.

I didn't even try to justify myself as she was leaving for the TARDIS. Was it really? Haughty and arrogant? I saw Jackie bring two big bags towards the kitchen and I approached to talk to her softly.

"We will not need your food."

"That is true? All the better," she said with relief. "And I'm sorry for what Rose told you. You are not what she described to you. She's just …"

"Angry, frustrated and sad," I said. Not really the right combination, right?

"Certainly," she chuckled. "And even less with his change. I know how she may be, I raised her."

I raised my hands, preferring to say nothing in case.

"You should join them," she said to me.

"I'm going, but can I have a thermos with tea please?"

"I'm doing that right now, sweetheart."

I thanked her before putting on my coat and shoes. When I finished lacing my shoes Jackie handed me a gray thermos with the tea inside. I thanked her before quickly joining the Tardis. I went inside with a greeting.

"I brought some tea!"

"Tea! Solution for everything!" Mumbled Rose.

"It could be the end of the world and you; British people would not miss teatime for anything," I joked ignoring Rose's mood.

"What would the French do if it were the end of the world?" Asked Mickey with a smile, happy to be distracted for the moment

"Uh, I don't know!" I thought. "We like to moan in France. We would be able to strike to show our discontent on the end of the world," I chuckled, mocking my own country.

I put the thermos close to the Doctor and opened it, noticing how hot it was. Leaving it in the open air would cool it a little - and tip over when it should.

The console started to beep, and Mickey asked how it worked. Rose answered that she didn't know while pressing buttons. I rolled her eyes as she watched the buttons she didn't know how to use. If we don't know, we don't touch, it's not complicated! The Doctor had warned us one day not to press the buttons without the indication of the Doctor. But hey, this coming from the girl who opened the Tardis to watch her heart. I guess there wasn't much to do ...

Rose and Mickey talked before she was worried that Jackie wasn't coming. Everything happened as in the episode and unlike Rose and Mickey - who go out without knowing what was waiting outside - I knew. That's why I looked annoyed when two Sycorax grabbed my arms and dragged me to the remains of the other humans on the ships. What I was hoping for is that the thermos was to overthrow for the Doctor to heal with the steam of tea. As soon as I was next to Harriet Jones, I had a little smirk when I saw those who should have died alive.

"Alvia, how good it is to see you at last," she greeted, taking me in her arms. "I asked Rose, the Doctor isn't here?"

"He's not ready yet, but he'll be here soon," I reassured her, taking her hands.

"The yellow girl. She has the smart blue box. Therefore, she speaks for the planet, translates the man with the machine in the hand."

"She can't," said the prime minister.

"I can," she said, not leaving Chief Sycorax with her eyes.

"But he will kill you!"

"Never stopped the Doctor, before."

But the Doctor has over 900 years of experience unlike Rose. And as I knew it, she mentioned a whole list of aliens and ridiculed near the Sycorax who burst out laughing. I sighed with annoyance.

"You are very, very funny. Is it all that the planet can produce as a champion? Don't make fun of the chef. Then the planet will be emptied, and the people enslaved - "

"I'm looking for an audience with the leader Sycorax under peaceful contract and according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation!" I barked suddenly.

Chief Sycorax was suddenly silent before turning to me, his red eyes narrowing a little.

"Speak, girl with the hair of fire," he ordered.

"You are threatening this world to be emptied and the humans of enslaved. Maybe I should enlighten you that this planet is considered a level 5 planet. So, Article 57 of Shadow Proclamation applies on this planet and therefore it cannot be damaged and even less enslaved!" I exclaimed with my head held high.

"We are the Sycorax, we ride the darkness," laughed the chief.

"I know. That's why I'm going to tell you something ... This planet has been tempted to be invaded a multitude of times in the past, by species as different as each other. Some with phenomenal punch, others with the most perfect shots. But this planet today is not invaded, humans live freely. And do you know why? Because every invasion attempt has been countered. And by one man only. So, I warn you ... get out of this planet or else ..." I threatened darkly.

"You dare to threaten Sycorax!" The Sycorax hissed without a mask. "No primitive human can beat us!"

"Hey... it's speaking English," Rose pointed out. "He speaks English," she said, turning around for confirmation.

"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!" Spat the chef.

"But we can hear English?"

All agreed, including me. An amused smile was settling on my lips as I thought about the Doctor waiting to make his entrance.

"Yes, it's English."

"Definitely English."

"I'm only talking SYCORAXIC!" Shouted the alien angrily.

"If I hear English ... then it's being translated, which means it works, which means ..." Rose mumbled to herself before turning to the Tardis.

All did the same, seeing her watch the doors of the Tardis. They both opened and the Doctor was there, in his pajamas and dressing gown, smiling and healthier than before.

"Did you miss me?"

The Sycorax leader roared with anger and threw the whip - which I narrowly avoided - to the Doctor who simply grabbed it and pulled it from the enemy's hand.

"Be careful, you could have someone's eye with that!"

I think that was the goal ...

"Now, wait a bit. I'm busy!"

Chief Sycorax watched in disbelief as the man gave him a warning sign before turning to Mickey.

"Mickey! Hello!" He said before turning to Harriet Jones. "And Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North! Blimey, it's like 'This Is Your Life'!" He turned to me and Rose, beaming. "Tea! That's all I needed! A good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannins. Just what it takes to heal synapses ... "

The Doctor instantly changed mood, becoming serious and lowering his tone as he approached us.

"Now ... first thing first of all ... be honest ... what do I look like?"

"Uh ... different?" Replied the confused blonde.

"Good different or bad different?"

"Just ... different."

"Am I ... ginger?" He asked deadly seriously.

I bit my fist to hold back my stifled laughter. My shoulders were shaking, and I was doing my best not to laugh out loud. The Doctor glanced at me before returning his attention to Rose, waiting for his answer.

"No, you're just brown ..." she said, gesturing.

"Oh, I wanted to be ginger, I was never ginger!" The disappointed man turned away before turning around and speaking to her violently. "And you, Rose Tyler! You were very good - you abandoned me unlike Alvia - oh, it's rude. That's the kind of man I am now, is not it? Rude." He thought. "Rude and not ginger. Hey! That's how you described yourself before Alvia! You, naughty girl!"

I snickered.

"I'm sorry ... who is this?" Harriet Jones asked.

"I am the Doctor," he answered.

"It's the Doctor."

"But what happened to my Doctor? Or is it a title that has just been transferred?"

"I am him." The Doctor answered as he walked towards her. "Literally him. Same man, new face - finally, brand new."

"You can't be," she said, frowning.

"Harriet Jones. We were trapped in Downing Street, and the only thing that scared you wasn't the aliens ... it wasn't the war ... it was the thought that your mother was all alone."

"Oh my God."

He leaned toward her. "Did you win the elections?"

With a smile Harriet Jones answered.

"Majority in landslide."

"I really don't want to be rude or anything," I said, drawing the Doctor's attention. "But we are in a full-on invasion, Doctor."

"Oh yes, that's right!" He recalled. "Excuse me, thank you Alvia."

He turned to the Sycorax leader.

"Hello, big fellas!"

"Who are you exactly?"

"Well, that's the question." He said with a smile.

"I demand to know who you are!" The leader yelled hoarsely.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Imitated the Doctor. "It's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that I ... I don't know. I don't know who I am. Everything has not been tested yet." He said as he walked, addressing everyone. "Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Sexy?" He winked at me cheekily and I rolled his eyes with an amused smile on my lips. "Good old misery? Life and soul? Right? Left-handed? Player? To treat? Liar? Nerve wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence I certainly have a gob."

He seemed to notice something.

"And how will I react when I see that?" He said pointing a big red button before heading to it "A very big threatening button. The Doctor continued with a maniacal smile and a small laugh. "A very big threatening button that should not be pressed under any circumstances. I am right? Let me guess, it's a kind of control matrix? Hmm? What feeds it?"

He leaned open a small door to access the controls under the button. He reached out his hand before removing, a bit of red on his finger.

"What do we have here? Some blood?"

He licked his finger. I need to make him a PowerPoint or something of the kind on things he MUST NOT lick.

"Yeah, definitely blood. Human blood. A positive, with just a pinch of iron." He said before moving his tongue like a bad taste and wiping his fingers on his dressing gown. "Ahh ... but that means ... blood control ... blood control!" He said delighted. "Oh! I have not seen a blood test for years! You control all the positive A's! Which leaves us with a big problem. Because ... I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So, if I see a big, threatening red button that should never be pressed, then I just want to do this."

And he brutally hit the red button, and everyone screams in horror.

"You killed them!" Accused the translator.

"They'll be fine," I said.

"They're right," confirms the Doctor. "You want to tell us why, big fella?"

"We allow them to live ..."

"Allow? You don't have a choice! I mean, it's blood control. A little cheap voodoo. You scare them but that's it. It's like hypnosis - you can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis, but you can't hypnotize to death. The survival instinct is too strong." He said, returning to our level.

"That's what Alvia told me, that the survival instinct was stronger ..." said Harriet.

"She's brilliant, is not she?" He complimented.

"The mastery of the blood was only a form of conquest. I can call the armada and take this world by force," replied the invading leader.

"Well, you can do it. Of course, you can, and you know what? But why? Watch these humans." He introduced passionately with a wave of his hand. "These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and don't blink in the sun. There is more to see than you can ever see. More than - "

"It's the Lion King, Doctor," I cut in.

"Sorry ... but the point is! Leave them alone!"

"Or what?"

"Or… "

He stole a sword from one of the Sycorax that was guarding us and ran to stand in front of the Tardis who was in an empty area before lifting the sword into the air.

"Or I challenge you!"

The leader and his people burst out laughing, I realized, but the laughter of the leader was horrible and irritating to hear.

"Oh, that touched a chord. Am I right in thinking that sanctified battle rules still apply?"

"You are the world champion." The leader said, coming down the stairs and unsheathing his sword.

The Doctor threw off his dressing gown and Rose grabbed it.

"So, you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?"

Chief Sycorax whistled angrily at the insult. They knelt down, both standing with their swords.

"For the planet?"

"For the planet." Confirmed the Doctor.

The fight began. The Sycorax sword was massive for the Doctor, and he swung the blade with little grace against that of his enemies. The fight went on outside, the sound of the blades clashing with each other at each meeting. The Doctor ended up fighting outside. The Doctor and the leader shouted, swinging their swords, until the Sycorax made a maneuver that put the Doctor on the ground. The chief of the tribe lowered his sword to the hand of the Doctor who held the sword, cutting his hand and sending it and the saber to the ground. The leader screamed in triumph, screaming the name of his species. Which was a bit ridiculous if you want my opinion.

"You cut off my hand," he said stunned and annoyed.

And the Doctor got up, a determined look in his eyes.

"But now, I know what kind of man I am ... I'm lucky." The Doctor said. "Because by chance ... I'm still in the first fifteen hours of regeneration cycle."

"Which means I just have enough residual cell energy ... to do this ..." he finished with mystery.

He raised his arm and in front of all observing eyes, his hand grew back. Sycorax hissed at witchcraft, but the Doctor countered his words.

"Time Lord."

Rose Tyler threw a new sword to the Lord of Time and he caught it before bragging about his new hand with a strange accent. The Doctor ran to his opponent, swinging his new sword toward him and the Sycorax blocked the attack. The fight resumed, but this time the Doctor was determined to win. His movement was furious and brief, any clumsiness due to the weight of the weapons had disappeared and he seemed at ease with the blade. Then the Doctor hit the belly with the sword's hilt. He started again and the Sycorax leader finally fell to the ground. The Lord of Time pointed his sword against the throat of being on the ground.

"I win."

"So, kill me," he said with difficulty.

"I will spare your life if you take this command: leave this planet and never come back. What do you say?"

"Yes," he said reluctantly.

"Swear on the blood of your kind," growled the Doctor furiously and seriously as he brought the blade a little closer to his neck.

"I swear ..." he cursed laboriously.

"Well, there it is! Thanks for that! Cheers, big fellow!" The Doctor said lightly before pushing his sword into the ground.

"Well done!" Said Harriet Jones.

Rose did the same by going to the Doctor's dressing gown and my ears bled as they heard their accents slaughter the French word. The pronunciation is perfect, but the accent ...

"Very Arthur Dent," he remarked. "A nice man."

He put his hands in his pockets before taking out an apple and a satsuma.

"What is this doing in here?"

"I think it's up to Harold, he must be hungry at night." Said Rose.

"Why would he be hungry at night?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know!"

"In any case he must like his snacks." He said storing the apple. "But don't satsumas summarize Christmas?"

The two began to return to us, the Doctor happily tossing the fruit up before catching it several times.

"You go through all these gifts but in the end, deep down, there is a stupid, old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma? Alvia?"

But behind us, the leader got up and grabbed his sword, roaring, ready to impale the Doctor; and without even turning the Doctor threw the satsuma to a switch on the side of a ship, which opened the ground under the leader and he fell to the ground screaming pathetically. The Doctor's smile was gone.

"No second chance. I am that kind of man."

I swallowed while looking at him. We went back to the Tardis and the Doctor spoke to the Sycorax people.

"By the ancient fighting rites, I forbid you to return here until the end of time. And when you return to the stars and you tell others about this planet ... when you tell them about its riches - its people - its potential. When you talk about the Earth, make sure to tell them this: It- is - Defended!"

We all - including the Tardis - returned to Earth. We were not far from Jackie's apartment. While Mickey was celebrating the joy of returning to Earth, the Doctor made a gesture while waiting for the engines of the spaceship to start. As soon as the ship took off and returned to space, we allowed ourselves to celebrate, to laugh and to burst with joy. Harriet went to hug me and the Doctor. She commented that the Doctor was absolutely the same man and the Doctor smiled at the compliment.

"Alvia said there were so many more than you were there every time you saved us."

"She's right, it's not just Sycorax. Hundreds, thousands of species. And the human race draws attention to itself. Every day, you send probes, messages and signals. A planet so noisy that you have, and you get noticed ... more and more. You better get used to it."

"20th century is where everything changes and we gotta be ready." I added, quoting Jack in the intro of the Torchwood series.

"Rose!" Shouted Jackie running towards us.

"Mum!"

"Oh! Talking of trouble ...!"

Rose and Mickey joined Jackie. The Doctor told Jackie that what he needed was tea; then Jackie noticed the prime minister. The Doctor reached out and Jackie caught him in a tight embrace, I was pulled by surprise and held in Jackie's arms. We all jumped as a bundle of green light popped up from the ground nearby.

"HARRIET NO!" I screamed in horror.

Four more beams came out to join in an enormous bundle that went into space and struck the spaceship, destroying it in a few seconds.

Tears sprang from my eyes. Despite my warnings she hadn't listened, she had contact with Torchwood. What I thought was all Sycorax, had just died under my helpless eyes. A comforting hand rested in my neck, massaging it slightly. It was the Doctor's hand.

"It was a murder," he says angrily.

"It was defense!" The prime minister said. "Adapted for extraterrestrial technology and came from a ship that fell on Earth ten years ago."

"But they were leaving," I sobbed.

"But you both said it. They go back to the stars and talk about us to others. Sorry, Doctor, but you're not there all the time and we don't have your companion who calls us and warns us all the time. You come and go. My people have been threatened and controlled while you slept. We must defend ourselves."

"The golden age of Britain ..." he said disdainfully.

"It comes with a price."

"I gave them the wrong warning. I should have told them to run as fast as possible. Run and hide because monsters are coming: the human race."

"These are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf."

"You don't represent me ..."

"Yes, I do, my child."

"No, you don't... I'm quite glad to not be from this planet." I said, looking at the Doctor.

"What does that mean about you both? Another alien threat."

The Doctor pulled his hand from my neck and went furiously to Harriet Jones.

"Do not challenge us, Harriet Jones. Because I am a completely new man. I could bring down your government with one word."

"You are the most remarkable man I have ever met, Doctor. But I don't think you can."

"We are right. Not a single word." He looked at her for a moment silently. "Only six. "

"I don't think so."

"Six words."

"Stop that!"

"Six."

They settled for a few more seconds, in a battle of wills.

"Three."

The two turned to me, surprised and confused. That's right, how could I defeat Harriet Jones and her government with three simple words? Well it was simple. I headed for the one with the headset. My path was cut by the agent of unity, who placed himself before me.

"Move, please."

"I don't think so, young girl."

"I said, **move**."

For an instant, anger blossomed in my chest and I inject that emotion into my order. To my surprise, the Unity Man moved to the side. I walked towards the translator, ignoring the soldiers who had had glassy eyes for a moment. I took off the man's earpiece and slipped it into his suit pocket and I climbed over my ear to whisper.

"She looks tired ..."

I moved back, my face without emotion as I returned to the side of the Doctor who had left Harriet Jones. She panicked at what I had said and asked what I had told her, she interrupted me as I joined the Doctor, Jackie, Rose and Mickey. The Doctor took my hand as we came back to the apartment, we had a cup of tea, explaining to Jackie what had happened on the Sycorax ship. The Doctor - who now wore the outfit of his former incarnation - stood up saying he was going to change and choose a new outfit.

"Well, I'll be able to prepare the meal for tonight. You should rest Sweetheart," said Jackie looking at me. "Looks like you're going to collapse anytime."

"Yeah ... I'll do that. Sleeping seems like a good idea ..." I mumbled while drinking my tea.

"Take advantage of bringing back to the Tardis what you had left," the Doctor informed me. "Better not leave it to everyone's eyes."

"How do you know?"

"He remains in the lead this opening," he remarked with false innocence and humming the song. "Fortunately, it's the only thing I could hear."

I was mortified hearing what he had just revealed to me. I missed the disaster a little ...

"Don't make this head, nothing bad happened, no?"

I nodded and went to find the satchel where my computer was. I came back to the living room and left with the Doctor in the direction of the TARDIS.

"Be careful, next time Alvia. I have nothing against the fact that you remember these episodes - even if part of me is disturbed that you know the future - the human memory is so fleeting and I doubt that with all the adventures that we ended up forgetting certain things that you saw."

"I only saw the series once. I looked at all the seasons in a row and I only saw some episodes because they were my favorites. I know some episodes that I saw once because I have a good memory and I read fanfictions – you don't want to know what it is."

"And I thought, since you've seen some episode ... could you help me choose my new outfit?"

"And ruin all the pleasure? I don't think so. I was serious when I said that sleeping was a good idea."

The Doctor unlocked the Tardis and we entered. Sexy buzzed with pleasure and we both smiled at the lights flashing happily.

"What use is this knowledge to you if you don't help me for my outfit?" The Doctor moaned.

I was at the door of my room and the Doctor was heading for the wardrobe. An idea came to me suddenly.

"Doctor!" I asked him.

He turned to me; eyebrows raised.

"What do you think of my coat? Something similar would be good on you, don't you think?"

A smile grew on his lips as a laugh escaped his chest. I went back to my room, not waiting for an answer. I put my bag in the chair of my office, my coat joined my bag, my shoes were on the ground and I buried myself under the covers to rest.

* * *

I woke up I think a few hours later, the Tardis having lit up my lights to wake me up. I moaned as usual every time I woke up and removed the blanket that covered my body. I put on my shoes and wanted to put on my long coat, but it had disappeared from my chair. I sighed with annoyance and I headed for my dressing room to remove a black hoodie that zipped with a zipper and a kind of black coat that reminded me of the one worn by the 12th Doctor.

"I cannot continue to dress like him," I sighed.

But the Tardis answered me as if she didn't agree with me.

"All right, all right," I capitulated with a smile. "But it's out of the question that at one point I'm wearing a piece of celery or a rainbow coat, I have limits," I warned, pointing my fingers up.

Sexy buzzed as if I had said something stupid. I put on the black velvet frock coat that came to my mid-thigh. The inner lining wasn't firecracker red, but Basque red. I cleaned my face before I just had a cream on my face that removed the bruise that had bloomed on my temple and brow bone. The blue-violet stain turned into a sickly yellow and disappeared a few seconds later. I like the medicine of the future. I headed for the main room and I went out. The cold gently bit cheeks and my nose, but I enjoyed this temperature. In addition, this frock coat was really hot! I stood against the door with the instructions until the Doctor came out.

He did it twenty minutes later. He came out dashing, his hair was well-combed, and the brown suit, Janis Joplin's long coat, so familiar, and converses on his feet.

"You changed your coat," he remarked, observing the velvet fabric.

"Two people wearing the same coat would have done it, and then the Tardis hid mine."

I swung forward and started walking towards Jackie's apartment.

"Wait, before I forget!" He walked quickly to me, rummaging in his right pocket before handing me my phone. "It belongs to you."

"My phone ... thank you, Doctor!" I thanked him, taking it and putting it in the back pocket of my pants.

"Don't let the Tylers wait long, I can smell meat!" He said sniffing a little, his nose in the air and his eyes closed.

My belly gurgled at the idea of hot food and I salivated in advance. We went to Jackie's house to see that the table had been set up and that the food was plenty. We chatted, ate, and had fun. It was a good meal; I even could drink alcohol quietly without my glass being removed and its contents thrown away. As I drank my drink quietly, the rest of the table used crackers - something I still don't understand, it's not in the French Christmas tradition - and Rose noticed Harriet Jones on TV. She repeated again and again that she wasn't tired, but it seemed that the journalists didn't take it into account ... I saw the Doctor wearing a pair of glasses on his nose and sniffing with amusement. Jackie, Rose and Mickey joined the Doctor to listen to Harriet Jones. As I watched Rose near her mother, a great sadness settled inside me.

I took the bottle and my glass, and I went as quietly as possible, towards the roof. I settled comfortably on the stone wall and I filled the glass. It was the first time I was celebrating Christmas without my family. For the first time since Rose's paradox, I allowed myself to rethink and cry. Red wine helped me to ignore the cold and numb my mind; so, it took me a few minutes to notice that the snow was falling and a few more minutes to remember that it wasn't snow, but ashes. I protected my glass from any invasion of ashes. Drink yes, but without the ashes, thank you very much.

From where I was, I heard people coming out and marveling at the "snow". In the end, I had nothing to drink - it was already well under way before I took it for myself - and I observed the ashes covered the area slowly but surely and in silence.

"Here you are, that's where you were hiding."

I turned my head slightly to see the Doctor approaching confidently, his hands in his pockets and his hair slightly covered with ashes. His eyes caught the empty bottle and my glass, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"We're really going to have to work on your alcohol problem, Alvia."

"Are we?"

"Yes. It's not healthy, especially at your age," he reprimanded.

"And how old am I," I articulated slowly. "I don't remember my age ..." I sighed in despair.

"You should drink some water and go to rest; you're starting to be a sad alcoholic."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm usual a merry alcoholic ... "

"Usually? Why aren't you now?"

"Because it's the first Christmas I spent without my family." I confessed without preamble.

"Alvia ..."

"Don't say you're sorry, because it's not your fault." I said with a trembling voice.

I wiped a tear that threatened to fall.

"Shit ... I didn't wanted to cry."

"It's okay to cry, Alvia." He reassured me before gently taking me into a hug that I returned a few seconds later.

He rocked me gently back and forth to comfort me, which worked of course. I took advantage of the warmth of his arms and coat. This embrace reminded me of the one I shared with his future self and little by little my mind reminded me of the kiss we exchanged. I shook my head mentally to scare away that image and blamed the alcohol that ran through my veins and enveloped my mind.

I felt a kiss on the top of my head and a yawn escaped my lips. The Doctor's chest shook as he giggled softly.

"Come on, let's get warm. I would not want you to get a cold and you grumbling because you can't live our future adventures."

"That would be so bad," I jeered softly.

We went back to the Tardis, and when we were going to separate the Doctor gently grabbed my wrist.

"I didn't have the opportunity to thank you for taking care of me when I was down ..."

"You don't have to, someone had to do it; especially when Rose was useless." I told him, shrugging my shoulders. "And then you trusted me when I said I was in charge, remember?"

"But I want to do it, it's important to me." He contradicted putting his hands on my shoulders. "Because ... Because I care about you just as much as you care about me."

I don't think he knows how much I care about him.

"Doctor ..."

I was going to say something, but my mind focused on the thing that Sexy made appear over our heads.

"Your Tardis has a strange sense of humor." I said, stepping back a bit and watching a branch of holly and mistletoe intertwined and suspended with gold and silver thread.

The Doctor watched the hanging branch with surprise, and I took the opportunity to grab his tie and lower it slightly. His eyes fell on me, even more surprised, and I put a quick kiss on the corner of his lips.

"Don't imagine anything." I teased, lying for both of us. "I only respect the traditions!"

I pulled back and headed for the hallway. Before entering, I turned one last time, watching the Doctor who hadn't moved at all and who seemed to be still in shock.

"Merry Christmas, Doctor!"

And I fled, all joyful to my room. Missing the Doctor's words with a soft smile on his lips.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Alvia."

* * *

Voici la traduction des phrases / mots français.

"Juste ce que j'ai besoin ..."


	16. New Earth

Hello everyone! how are you ?

I started there a few good omens series at my parents on the TV with pride video on it [which is absolutely great !] but I could not watch the last episode because the TV was stolen by my father who watched Rugby. So here I am back from home for my studies, waiting for the Christmas holidays to finish the series.

I don't know if I told you, but my story is also available on Ao3, Wattpad and Quotev; and my story seems pretty popular on wattpad (which I still don't understand how it works...)

now, hush! here is a spoiler for you ;)

The next chapters will come soon (I'll start tomorrow) and will be a chapter 'day in tardis' which will be a direct result of this chapter.

I don't hold you back any longer,

enjoy this chapter, feel free to leave me a reviews :) [even you my dear beta ;p]

* * *

Despite the fact that I kissed the Doctor, my relationship to the Doctor didn't change, even though I really wanted it to. Finally, there were changes but it was clearly because of the regeneration. Nine's grumpiness was missing, but I appreciated the fatigue-free, curious energy ball the Doctor had become, even his puppy eyes. He was the kind of gentleman who came out quite often from his mania to lean a little on the side so that his shoulder is at the same level as the person with whom he spoke - me or Rose for example. And when he was leaning over and wasn't walking, he crossed his legs so that one of his shoes would tiptoe the floor, just as he was constantly putting his hands in his pockets.

Let's talk about his costume. He had several! He didn't have a single suit that he had every night, no sir, he had several, a dozen to be exact. When I asked him why, he answered me with a confused look.

"Why would I change clothes when this one suits me very well?"

Anyway. I discovered every day a new curiosity, a new quirk about the Doctor. For example, his craving for licking anything and dipping his fingers into something before licking it. It started with the black cherry jam jar. The Doctor, who wanted to test his new taste buds, pushed his index finger into the pot before coming out covered with black-purple jam and push it into his mouth. Jackie needed a new toaster and while I volunteered to go buy it - accompanied by the Doctor, because Rose wanted to take advantage of her friends - there was a moment where I had to concentrate to make a choice between two grids loaves, leaving the Doctor unattended. When I made my choice and I turned with the product in my arms it was to see the Doctor, tongue out a few inches from another toaster.

It was about that time that I decided to take a little white notebook with a pencil and eraser to write down everything the Doctor couldn't lick - which I used from time to time and to draw when I was bored or to write down really important things - before I made a powerpoint that I was going to present him before he thought about licking something toxic. Higher physiology maybe but with logic, please. It was with annoyance and a hint of amusement that I ordered the Doctor to rest the cooking device he had in his hands and that I had forbidden any taste experience that didn't include food; not even his pout would change my mind.

That's how the two weeks went in London - Jackie having ordered that we don't leave the Earth until the new years - it was a particularly painful moment for me because I was in charge of the Doctor, who couldn't endure a normal life. There was a moment when the idea of knocking out the Doctor and locking him in a room that didn't open from the inside without his sonic screwdriver crossed my mind.

But finally came the moment of departure, that the Doctor blessed with great joy and gratitude, perhaps a little too much; Jackie had taken it badly.

We were finally in the Tardis. The Doctor threw his coat over a coral branch before heading to the console and switching on the switches quietly. I watched the room light up happily and we shared a smile and a look as the rotor started and the Tardis' iconic grinding echoed in the room and in our ears. Rose came in a few minutes later after saying goodbye to her mother and Mickey. She put her bags and coat in a corner of the room and got rid of her pink hat. We looked at her for a moment with a smile.

The Doctor asked us to help him in the piloting and I advanced ready to listen to the instructions, just like Rose.

"So, where are we going this time?" Rose asked.

"Further than we've ever gone before," the Doctor replied, leaning toward her.

"Future? Ooh I like the future, we don't go often in the future," I commented turning a button.

"What about 2012 with Van Statten?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow

"Nah, that's the past for me, not a brilliant year, in fact. 2019 me, remember?" I told her, patting my collarbone with one finger.

"And the Satellite five? It was in the future too," added the Doctor.

"Yes, but other than that? Most of the time you took us to distant galaxies in the past and in Rose's present day. I'm just saying we don't get enough out of the future." I conceded with some frustration.

"So, let me satisfy this frustration that I detect!" He exclaimed before pulling the engine lever.

The usual jolt upset our balance, but we held on and a few minutes later we materialized on a planet whose name I already guessed. The sweet smell of the apples already floating in my nostrils. We went out all three in a row and as soon as the TARDIS door slammed gently behind us the Doctor began to talk about where we were and where we were.

"This is the year five billion and twenty-three ... We're in the galaxy M87 and this planet ... it's New Earth."

The wind whipped the sides of my frock coat and I was happy to have my hair tied so as to not end up like Rose with her hair flying in all directions. The three of us watched the cars fly and I had stars in my eyes as I watched the futuristic look of the cars with wonder. It was more impressive than the special effects of the episode.

"It's just ..." began Rose

" Fantastic!" I confirmed while watching the futuristic city on the horizon.

"Yeah. I will never get used to it, ever. A different ground beneath my feet!" She said jumping up and down."Different sky! What's that smell!"

"Apple! It's apple! I like apples!"

The Doctor picked a few sprigs of herbs and turned them between his thumb and his index finger.

"What taste does it have? Grass or apples?" I asked with curiosity and malice.

"I don't know; do you want to test?" Teased the Doctor.

I took one of the blades of herbs he was holding between his fingers and I gave him a look that said I was quite capable. I mimed the act of eating the strand and the Doctor stopped my movement when the thin sheet was close to my lips.

"I said that to make a joke!" He exclaimed.

"Not me!" I sang before crunching the sheet and chewing it for a moment.

The Doctor looked at me shockingly as Rose gave me a disgusted look.

"Meh. Grass taste, I am disappointed." I commented, pouting.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and grabbed our hands, pulling us off for a quick run before letting go. He put on his coat and lay on it with Rose. I sat to the right of the Doctor, on the grass, legs crossed and my frock around me fluttering sometimes because of the wind. In addition to the smell of apples, the smell of iodine reached my nose and I deeply inhaled the salty smell.

"So, in the year five billion, the Sun expands, the Earth gets roasted."

"Our first date." Rose commented, giving me a haughty look that went unnoticed by the Doctor.

The Doctor made a 'Mm' that seemed to delight Rose, but glancing at the Doctor, he seemed to be indifferent about Rose, he seemed almost ... embarrassed, but why?

Moreover, since the Doctor's regeneration, Rose seemed less friendly than she had been before. She always gave me a haughty look when the Doctor congratulated her or complimented her on something. Did she create a competition between her and me? I know I have a serious crush on the Doctor ... But I wouldn't let him ruin my life and spoil any relationship with anyone else. I have a crush on him, yes. But I don't feel the urge to be in a relationship with him - even if it were possible. As long as I am in good agreement with him, I am happy and that satisfied me greatly.

"So, the planet is gone in dust." Repeated the Doctor. "But humanity has survived through the stars. As soon as the Earth burned, they were nostalgic. They found this place." He explained, getting up suddenly. "Same size as the earth ... Same air ... same orbit ... charming. The message has passed, humans have laid out."

"What 's the city called?"

"New New York!" I answered in the Doctor's place.

"How do you know?" Asks Rose with a disgruntled look.

"Someone yelled from his flying car, didn't you hear?"

"But technically it's the 15th since the original, it would actually be New New New New New New New New New New New New New York."

"Wow, I can't believe you can say it." I commented, impressed. "I'm going to stay in New New York."

The Doctor chuckled at my comment and Rose ignored me to look at the Doctor with a big smile. I don't want to criticize, but it was hitting the creepy limit. The Doctor seemed to notice him as he asked:

"What? "

"You're so different."

"New New Doctor."

Rose laughed and began to watch the city quietly. I put myself at the level of the Doctor.

"Technically it's your tenth incarnation as a Doctor. It will be ten times New Doctor."

"A real mouthful, huh?" He smiled as he picked up my words.

"Fortunately, in my world, we had a way to differentiate all of you."

"Really?" He said with surprise. "How?"

"At the moment, you are the tenth Doctor. So, we Whovians, used to call you 'tenth Doctor', 'Ten' or by the name of the actor: David Tennant. Sometimes it's through a physical description, your old body was ears and leather jacket."

"Wow ... I don't know how to take it, it's a little creepy you don't think? And you said as a Doctor ..." he said.

I got a little closer and I lowered my voice so that Rose couldn't hear what I was going to say to her.

"I know there is one you refuse to admit ..."

He swallowed hard as he stared at me without flinching and I gave him a reassuring smile before taking his hand and squeezing it gently, rubbing my thumb on the top of his hand.

"I know a lot, Doctor ..." I reminded him softly. "And I would never judge you on what you did in the past. Only the acts of this account ..."

Especially that I would never judge him on something that didn't happen.

He gave me a trembling smile and his shoulders, which I didn't know were tense, loosened little by little.

"Thank you, Alvia. It means a lot to me ..." He croaked softly.

I intertwined our fingers and looked back at New New York and the flying cars. Rose leaned suddenly to the Doctor, not noticing the fact that we were holding hands.

"Can we go to New New York - as nice as they named it twice."

We stood up, the Doctor letting go of my hand to put on his coat.

"Well, I thought we could go over there first." He said, turning to a huge white building with a green moon painted on it.

The building was near a beach and behind the building was a moon and another planet; Epitaxy according to the Doctor, a gaseous planet.

"Why? What is it?"

"A kind of hospital. The green moon on the side is the universal symbol for hospitals. And I got this," he said as he pulled out his black leather wallet. "A message on the psychic paper. Someone wants to see me."

I put myself on my toes to see what was written on the paper: "Ward 26, please come." I smiled mentally as I remembered that it was Jack / Face of Boe who was sending this message. I was happy to know that he had survived and a little sad because he had lived so long with great sorrow on the way and that in a short time, he was going to die definitively. I shook my head with the sorrow that climbed inside me, it wasn't the moment to cry.

"Oh, and I thought we would go sightseeing. Come on, buy some grapes."

"What for?" I asked confused.

"What?"

"Why buys grapes?"

"Are you stupid?" Rose asked frankly. "It's obvious, though! "

"French, thank you very much. On times when I had to go to the hospital to see someone, I never bring anything." I explained, glancing at Rose.

The Doctor put an end to our heated exchange by explaining why we bought grapes.

"Oh ... it's nice." I commented after understanding the concept.

The Doctor gave me a smile and we left for the hospital. We took about half an hour to get there on foot. While we were a few hundred meters from the doors of the hospital the Doctor became nervous in his behaviour. And as soon as we had the first door, Rose asked the Doctor what was wrong.

"What's the matter? You seem nervous."

"I can't help it; hospitals give me the creeps."

The building informed us through the microphone that the garden was available but picking flowers was forbidden. The Doctor commented on the elegance of the interior. It is true that it was nice, much more than the hospitals on Earth or at least at home in France. Women in veiled white clothes walked quietly to an unknown destination for me.

"But I'm missing a little shop, I like a little shop." He added, turning his gaze to several places, searching for something.

"I thought that in the future they would have healed everything."

"Impossible." I refuted, shaking my head. "Some illnesses are incurable and others changing, and some illnesses are yet to be discovered. And if someone got into a more or less serious accident, it needs a place to heal."

A staff member passed by; her face uncovered. I gave back the nod that she gave us. Rose, on the other hand, stared at the cat-woman with wide eyes. It was rude and totally obtrusive on her part. As soon as the caregiver was far enough away, Rose pointed her finger at them.

"They are cats!"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" I sneered with sarcasm.

"Now, don't stare. Think about what you look like for them." He said as if he were talking to a child. "All pink and yellow."

I choked on a laugh as I watched Rose's offended face and the Doctor decided where to put his little shop. My eyes found the elevator and I pointed it out to the Doctor with a pat on his hand. He took my hand before heading to the first elevator without waiting for Rose. He pointed to floor 26 at the elevator and the door closed a few seconds later. Rose realized that the doors closed and ran to us in vain. She told us there was another elevator and the Doctor warned her of the disinfectant. And honestly, I wasn't ready for that part.

The elevator computer alerted us to the first step of the disinfection and a jet of warm water splashed and wetted us. I couldn't help but cry out because of the temperature.

"There's a difference between knowing, planning and living ..." I muttered, talking about disinfection.

"Mmm?" The Doctor said, opening one eye to me.

"I didn't expect the water to be lukewarm ..."

The Doctor let go of my hand to raise his hands and make all his hair wet; I did the same by removing the elastic that held my hair and I ran my fingers between the wicks for the water to wet. A white powder was thrown at us and the Doctor didn't react, but I admit to having a cough escape after having breathed in by accident. And finally, the dryer started, and the Doctor seemed to enjoy this stage a lot because a cheerful smile was on his lips. We both dried our coats and the inner lining, which didn't give me time to dry my hair to the maximum. So, when we got to floor 26, my hair was slightly damp and some wicks had the natural curl that happened every time I didn't dry my hair with a towel or brush my hair with a comb. The Doctor's hair seemed to have been well combed while a few minutes ago, some hair was scattered.

The Doctor glanced at me before a small smile grew on his lips. I raised a confused eyebrow as I didn't understand why he was smiling as if he knew something I didn't. One of the staff members came to us and guided us upstairs into the visiting wing. The Doctor commented on the lack of a shop on the ground floor and the cat woman who guided us answered us a little dryly.

"The Sisters of Plenitude take a lifelong vow for assistance and healing."

We passed several patients and I dared not look at them. I have always hated hospitals since the death of my grandfather when I was 14, and I never really recovered. The Doctor was stopped by a woman and I continued on my way in search of the Face of Boe; who I found. Jack was in the back of the room, near a window that looked out over the bay and the sea - if it was even a sea - and next to him was another nurse younger than the one who guided us to this level. Jack was sleeping and seemed to be dreaming because his lips moved slowly as if he was talking. I sat on the floor and crossed legs before I put a hand on the glass surface. I was quickly joined by the Doctor who asked nurse Jatt if he could make an announcement for Rose who was still not there.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid the Face of Boe is sleeping. That's all he does these days. You are friends?" Nurse Hame asked.

"We met only once on Platform 1 for me. I doubt I don't know if Alvia has met her before, but she is full of surprises," replied the Doctor. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew." She said with sadness. "The Face of Boe is dying."

"What?"

"Old age," I answered softly before the nurse. "The only thing that can't be cured." _And who shouldn't be healed_, I thought with sorrow.

"It's thousands of years old, some say millions, although it's impossible."

"Oh no, I like the impossible," said the smiling Doctor.

The Doctor knelt beside me to put his hand on the jar too.

"I'm here. I look a little different but it's me, it's the Doctor."

Jack sighed in his sleep and I gently put my head on his shoulder in melancholy. The Doctor put an arm around my shoulders bringing me a little closer to him to comfort me.

"Do you know him?" He asked softly.

"Yes ... he is the one I went to see at night in Cardiff. He was young at the time." I told him quietly. _If two centuries were even considered young._

I removed the hand from the jar and quietly watched as Jack slept, occasionally glancing at the nurse caring for him and the glass window that let us see a magnificent view. At one point the Doctor got up, leaving me his coat to watch and go somewhere. He returned a few minutes later with three cones filled with fresh water. He served one to Nurse Hame, one to me and the last to himself. I thanked him, taking the opportunity to get up and sip my drink quietly.

"It's very kind but it wasn't necessary." Hame thanked.

"You are the one who works." He said before drinking a little water.

"There's not much to do, just keep up the smoke and keep company. I hear him sing in my head sometimes." She confided. "Very old songs."

"Are we the only visitors?"

"No," replied the novice. "Sometimes a fox visits, we still don't understand how he manages to infiltrate here. And he stays there, just where you sit, miss."

I fixed a surprised look at the nurse cat. What did she mean by a fox?

"And when Face of Boe is awake, they fix themselves and seem to be discussing mentally." Continued the cat. "Besides this creature, there is nobody. The Boe species died out a long time ago. He is the last. Legends say that Face de Boe saw the universe grow old."

The Doctor smiled quietly, his head bowed. It seemed to encourage the young novice Hame because she seemed happy to reveal everything about Jack. She had the stars in her eyes.

"There is so much superstition around him. One says that just before his death, Face of Boe will share his big secret, only with a being like him."

"What does it mean?"

"Oh, it's just a story." She said a little embarrassed.

"Tell us, please. Tell us what's next," he said.

"It is said that he will speak to wanderer, to the man without a home, the lonely god."

At each description the Doctor seemed to be more attentive, it was clear that it was the Doctor whose legend was referring. And it was sad to know that he was described as a lonely, homeless man.

"He will tell his secret, watched by a being from another world, silent and full of knowledge."

The Doctor, who ended up watching Jack silently, began to fix me a look a few seconds later. I knew it, because this feeling of being observed never ceased tickling my neck. I ended up crossing his eyes. His eyes showed his slight surprise at the mention of a being from another world. I admit that it surprised me too.

I finished my glass before getting up, my knees sore. I almost fell to the side, but I was caught the Doctor who grabbed me by the hips. I thanked him quickly before retreating from his grip. It would have been a shame to hurt myself in a hospital. I wiped the back of my coat before the Doctor started a conversation with me.

"Being from another world, huh? I wonder who it can be." He said with an amused smile as he approached me.

"When will you finish teasing me, Doctor?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, barely impressed.

"But it's so much fun."

"You're unmanageable ..." I sighed, shaking my head with a slight smile that betrayed me.

"Maybe I am, after all you know more about this body than I know at the moment."

"Is this a reproach?" I asked with a little frown.

"Never," he said.

"Never say 'never', you could change your mind someday ..." I mumbled darkly, thinking of several episodes including Doomsday.

His eyes looked at me with slight concern as he passed an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to his body. We quietly watched the landscape and Jack from time to time, waiting for Rose to come. At the end of a quarter of an hour Rose didn't show the tip of her nose and the Doctor went to a telephone to dial Rose's number.

"It's strange that she's still not here." He said, placing the phone in his ear. "Rose, where are you? How long do you need to come to sector 26?"

He had a moment of silence during which he listened to Rose's answer. His hand searched for mine and I gave it to him with joy, quietly watching Jack, who was still sleeping.

"You'll never guess, I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?"

Bursts of laughter rang out and drew our attention to a man who seemed extremely happy.

"I have to go, right now." The Doctor said to end the call.

He put the white receiver down and we headed by what was the Duke of Manhattan and his irritating assistant.

"I didn't think I could heal!" Exclaimed the man with a flute of champagne in his hand before spotting the Doctor. "This man is my lucky charm! Come here, don't be shy! "

"No friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan is a contract." Recited his audience.

I rolled my eyes as she recited her talk, as if we wanted to do anything with him. As she pressed a button to raise the duke, the Doctor nudged me in the ribs before whispering to me.

"Don't be rude ..."

"I do what I want ..." I whistled before placing a smile on my lips as the attention of both came back to us.

"Hop! Look at me, no signs of infection!" Exclaimed the duke.

A butler with a silver platter on which two flutes of champagne were enthroned came towards us.

"Champagne? "

"No thanks." The Doctor refused politely.

My attention focused solely on the alcohol offered and as I raised my hand for a drink, the Doctor refused for me. I turned to him, pulling back my shoulders, giving him a slightly exaggerated look.

"Oi!"

"No alcohol for you." He growls softly. "No more alcohol at all for you actually."

"I am of age and vaccinated and sane! I think I have the right to choose whether or not I could drink!"

"Doctor's order," he justified with a smirk.

"I think you'll find WE are the doctors here." A voice behind us said.

I jumped like a cat who had seen a cucumber before turning quickly to the source. It was another cat, just as condescending as the one who brought us here.

"I'm Matron Casp by the way, and you are?" She asked, ignoring the Doctor.

"Alvia Saxon."

"It is true that for your health, the consumption of alcohol should be repealed ... Especially when you're still in childhood."

Am I dreaming or she gives me morals? And does she call me a CHILD? Indignation seizes me as anger swells in my chest as I cast my best black eyes.

"But let's not dwell on that, what do you think of this man's healing?"

"According to my friend," I began, nodding towards the Doctor. "This disease shouldn't be cured for a long time."

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic when it merely the tender application of science."

"But how did you cure him? What are the components of the serum that you inject the Duke of Manhattan?"

"I'm sorry – Patient confidentiality."

I was going to say something else, but Jatt, the cat who had driven us here, came in and called out to his supervisor about something that seemed important. As a result, Matron Casp left us.

"Normally a hospital would share components with other hospitals so that they too could create the medicine and treat the patients themselves. Why don't they? It's obviously hiding something ..." I deducted, turning to the Doctor.

"Is your instinct talking? Or your knowledge "

I raised my eyebrows as I offered him a smirk to say "guess." He sighed before putting his hands in his pockets and swinging them back.

"All right ... I get it ... anyway we're stuck here until Rose arrives. What can she be doing to be so late?"

I think that being possessed by a living bitchy trampoline and claiming to be the last pure human in the same way that a Malfoy considers his blood as pure; is a good excuse. I mentally shuddered at the disasters that could happen if she possessed me. Nothing good anyway.

The Doctor took out his glasses and placed them on his nose before walking to each patient to observe them quietly and find some clue for the components of the remedies. I headed for a wall and taking my phone out of the inside pocket of my frock coat and playing with it while waiting for Rose. I had to admit that the Doctor was very cute with his glasses. David Tennant always looked good with glasses anyway.

Rose finally arrived, her jacket missing and a neckline too big for the modesty of my eyes and public decency. If Cassandra wanted to be discreet, she missed. Although in her case it's a real Queen Drama ...

"There you are! Come see this patient," greeted the Doctor, drawing her to a patient with red skin. He spoke quietly to her before leading her to an extremely white patient who seemed dead from within. The two joined me and the Doctor said he needed to find a terminal. So, we walk towards one.

"Like Alvia said it earlier. If they have the best medicine in the world, why so many secrets?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it."

"What?" I said incredulously.

Was it even a supposed phrase? Cassandra, seriously ... make efforts. It's so obvious.

"What's wrong with your voice?" The Doctor asked confused.

"Oh, I don't know; I'm just having a blast. New Earth ... New me."

Cassandra looked up and down and the Doctor didn't seem to have noticed the huge cleavage she had. Yet it was literally before his eyes.

"Well, who am I to speak? New Doctor," he said with a smile.

"Mmm, is that so?" The blonde mumbled.

And she grabbed the Doctor's face before snapping her lips against his, kissing him fervently. When she finally dislodged, he looks extremely shocked and Cassandra was out of breath. The Doctor looked at the blonde, completely stunned. She gestured towards the empty hallway.

"T-Terminal's this way..."

And she was exhaling as if she had run a fucking marathon. I watched her with an emotionless face and a Doctor with an extremely dazed look and dishevelled hair. Not wanting to wait for the Doctor, I started walking before being stopped by the Doctor grabbing my wrist.

"Why did Rose kiss me?"

"Do I really have to explain how human feelings and desires seem to work? Because I'm really not a good person to answer you."

"Just tell me she won't do it again," he pleaded.

Wait a minute ... Why was he acting like this? Why? Is he not a little happy that she kissed him? Although it is Cassandra that did it and not Rose. Has not he already kissed her to remove the Vortex of Time? That shouldn't bother him at this point ...

"Well yes?" I said hesitantly.

Because technically it's not really the Doctor she kisses on Bad Wolf Bay, but a clone with Donna's DNA too.

"Rassilon, thank you ..." he sighed with relief before putting his hair back in place.

"Don't you like her kissing you?' I asked with slight anxiety.

"Not really, no." He replied, reliving his hair and twisting his earlobe. "She's not really my type ... and she's just a friend."

I raised an eyebrow at his statement. Rose, not his type? Did I really mess up with something?

"Are you done talking?" Cassandra asked with annoyance. "I thought we had a mystery on our hands?"

The Doctor was surprised by the rudeness of the blonde but quickly resumed heading into the hospital.

I joined him quickly with Cassandra. The Doctor tapped on the touch screen and searched for all the departments of the hospital.

"No, nothing strange. Surgery, post-op, nano-dentist ..." Listed the Doctor. "No sign of a shop, they really need a shop. But nothing is missing."

"Wait, something is missing!" I exclaimed suddenly. "Where is intensive department? It's a whole important department that doesn't appear."

"Just now these nuns were talking about intensive care ..." Cassandra commented.

"Very well done," the Doctor congratulated gently before pulling out his screwdriver.

"Why hide an entire department?" She asked.

"Usually it's not for a good reason ..." I mumbled.

"You are full of anecdotes ..." Cassandra said disdainfully. "Even so, the department must be there, look in the subsystem." She ordered the Doctor.

"What if the sub-frame is locked?" He asked, glancing at me and her.

That look that said something was wrong with Rose. Which was totally normal, even though I knew it wasn't Rose who was talking. I knew that the London blonde had no computer knowledge other than the basic one of her time, and then Rose had a special accent and chewed some words, which Cassandra clearly doesn't do.

"Try the installation protocol," she said as if the Doctor was suddenly stupid.

"Yeah, sure, sorry." He said, pointing his Sonic against the screen."Wait a second ..."

Suddenly a thud came from across the hall and the whole wall opened to go down, revealing a dark hallway and unhygienic by hospital standards. Cassandra smiled, satisfied, and plunged into the corridor without even waiting for the Doctor. The Doctor looked at me again to confirm that something was wrong with Rose before following her.

"Intensive care ... It certainly looks intensive," said the Doctor.

We walked for a few minutes before arriving in a huge room with a wire floor and metal staircase. We ended up next to a row of green doors shining like nuclear radiation. Curious, the Doctor opened one of the doors with his screwdriver, and to the horror of the three of us, we saw a man covered with boils and with cracked, blood-stained skin; his blank gaze still directed towards us.

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the acidic, irritating taste in my throat. It was horrible to see in real life. My eyes stung, a harbinger of the tears that were forming in the corner of my eyes.

"It's disgusting ..." Cassandra commented empathically. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm sorry," the Doctor apologized, muttering, horrified. "I am really sorry…"

"Me more ..." I let out a breath as tears rolled down my cheek.

The Doctor gently closed the door before opening another. It was a woman this time, wearing the same sickly physique and the same blank look. I looked away, ashamed, unable to look anymore.

"What disease is it?" Cassandra asked, staring at the woman inside.

"All of them." The Doctor answered quietly and with disgust. "They are infected with all the existing diseases of the galaxy."

"What about us? Are we safe?" The blonde asked without any shame.

"The air is sterilized. Don't touch them ..."

"No desire to, don't worry ..." she mumbled.

The Doctor made no sign that he had heard what she had said as he closed the door, but he approached me before reaching for my cheek so that our eyes crossed. I didn't dare look at him and I recoiled reluctantly, making the heat of his hand disappear against my cheek.

"How many patients are here?"

"They are not ..." I croaked before taking a deep breath. "They are not patients."

"But they're sick!" She refuted.

"They are born sick; they must be sick. They exist to be sick." The Doctor disclosed angrily. "Laboratory rats! No wonder how the Sisters heal everything. They've built the ultimate research lab - a human farm!"

We moved. The Doctor, although angry, had put his hand against my neck and was gently rubbing against the tension I had. I took it as proof that he wasn't mad at me.

"Why don't they just die?" The blonde asked without any compassion.

"They are the carriers of the Plague, always the last to go."

"But for such a great cause." A voice intervened.

We turned our heads to see Novice Hame. She who was so sweet to us unlike her superiors. What a shame she had the same thoughts as the rest of the Sisters in this hospital.

"Were you aware of this, when you took your vow?"

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help."

"By killing?" He shouted suddenly.

"But they're not real people," she explained softly. "They were raised especially for this purpose; they have no proper existence."

"You have created life ... Of course, they have proper existence!" I pleaded.

"What's the turnover? Hm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next?" He asked, advancing dangerously. "And a thousand more? How many thousand? For how many years? HOW MANY?"

"Humanity needed us. They came with so many diseases, we couldn't cope. We did try, tried everything. Cloned meat and bio-livestock, but the results were too slow. Then the Sisterhood grew its own flesh, that's all they are: flesh." Justified the novice.

"These people are alive!"

"But think of those humans out there, healthy and happy because to us!"

"If they live because of that, then life is worthless."

"But who are you to decide what is worth it or not?" The novice suddenly asked.

"I am the Doctor. And if you don't like it, if you want to talk to a high authority, there isn't one. It stops with me!"

Cassandra moved slightly to level with the Doctor near his shoulder.

"Just to confirm ... Nobody in town knows all about this? That's right?"

"We thought it best not to -"

"Hold on. I can understand the bodies, I can understand your vow." Interrupted the Doctor. "But one thing I can't understand. What have you done to Rose?"

"I don't know what you mean," Hame said, confused.

I was going to open my mouth to tell the truth to the Doctor, but his hand rose and blocked my lips.

"Not now Alvia. Now, I'm being very, very calm and you should be wary, very, very calm. And the only reason I've to be very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you did to Rose's head, I want it reversed."

"We haven't done anything!" The cat defended herself.

During all the time the Doctor had spoken I had tried to get rid of the iron grip of his hand, and somehow, I succeeded. After gasping lightly, I ended up talking though not without a glare at the Doctor.

"Doctor, they didn't do anything to Rose! It's someone else!"

"What?" The Doctor suddenly asked, turning to me.

"Oh okay. Little clever ones ..." Cassandra said. "And I have absolutely no idea how this little red pixie can know that much," she hissed, glaring at me.

"Not everyone is stupid, Cassandra."

"You tell me, pixie ..." she said slowly as she rolled humans.

"Cassandra? What Cassandra?"

"The trampoline one!"

"Oi, it was my body at its best!" She exclaimed outraged.

"Sorry I was wrong. A Bitchy Trampoline!" I corrected myself with a mockery.

"Anyway, I suspected there was something with this hospital, but I needed a body and your mind to find out."

"Get out of Rose's mind, Cassandra," warned the Doctor.

"Or what? You didn't even plan the perfume." Sneer the blonde.

"What perfume?"

"This perfume!"

She pulled a small vial from between her breasts and sprayed us both with a shot each. Everything went black and when I woke up it was to have my head turned against the Doctor's chest. My hands were tied behind my back and I groaned at the headache that was forming at each temple.

"Chloroform ..." I cursed. "Today is not the day that I wanted to test it ..."

A groan came from the Doctor's lips before he raised his head and tried to move. My head hit the glass pane and he apologized quickly.

"Cassandra! Let us go out! Let us go out!"

"I'm sorry, there was only one room left, no seating."

"You stole Rose's body," the Doctor accused.

"And during all those years in the shadows, I thought about the 1000 ways to kill you, Doctor, and how lucky I am! That's exactly what I have, 1000 diseases. They recharge the patients every ten minutes; you only have about three minutes left." Cassandra said checking her watch. "Enjoy both, you're doing so well together..." she finally taunted.

"Let Rose go!" Ordered the Doctor.

"I will, don't worry! As soon as I find a younger and less common body. Then I'll junk her with the waste. Now, hushabye! It's showtime." She said, ending the conversation.

The cat nurses arrived and while they were talking to each other I was looking for a way to free ourselves.

"Where's your screwdriver?" I hissed softly.

"Inside my jacket, but how do you intend to reach it? Your arms are tied in your back!"

"Is not there a way to activate it from your pocket? Like, we press on it from the outside and you think about how to use it?"

He thought suddenly, wondering if this was even possible.

"We only have to try." Whispered the Doctor. "What do we do first? Open the door or your handcuffs?"

"The quickest."

"Handcuffs, then. Let's go. I think and you press, ready?"

I nodded and as the Doctor focused his thoughts on the Sonic, I pressed my forehead against the solid bulge of his chest where the screwdriver was. For a few seconds, only the slightly stormy conversation between Cassandra and the cats was present as a background sound before the characteristic sonic sound buzzed in my ears. A click was also heard a few moments later and the pressure on my wrist disappeared. I grabbed my handcuffs, so they didn't fall and the noise alert Cassandra. I then pulled the screwdriver from the pocket of the Doctor before pointing to the door to unlock. But at the same time, Chip, the human trampoline attendant, opened all the doors of the corridor; delivering us, but also the sick, who wanted to touch us. We went out and the Doctor questioned the blonde before starting to flee from the sick. I sprinted for my life, holding the Doctor's screwdriver firmly in my hand so as not to lose it. Near the stairs, we watched with horror as all the patients had been released, and I barely had time to make the device sound to the Doctor as we descended the stairs at full speed.

Quickly we waited for the basement where Cassandra had previously hidden to reach the elevator before knowing that the hospital was in quarantine, and we followed the blonde in a different direction, losing her assistant to the passage without her even caring. We had arrived in a room with a projector and a jar with brains inside, stuck without any possible outcome. Except a metal ladder at the bottom.

"We're trapped!" Cassandra moaned.

"As if it was our fault!" I squeaked.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well for starters, you're going to leave that body," the Doctor said impatiently. "This psycho-graft is forbidden on all civilized planets! You compress Rose to death!" The Doctor pointed, sonic in hand.

"But I have nowhere to go. My original skin's dead!"

"Not my problem ... you can be atomized in the air, now get out of there."

Cassandra swelled her chest as if defying the Doctor, but he pointed his screwdriver threateningly to her.

"Release her." He ordered darkly.

"You asked for it."

She inhaled before exhaling and a cloud of pink light coming out of her mouth before heading for the Doctor's. Rose returned to normal, but the Doctor was now owned by Cassandra. I rubbed the stop of my nose.

"Oh my god ... I'm now with two girls with more than questionable character..." I mumbled spitefully. "As if that couldn't get worse."

"Where's she gone?" Rose asked now free.

"In the Doctor."

"WHAT? "

"Ooh, my god ... this is different!"

"Cassandra?"

"Unfortunately." I commented in horror as I watched Cassandra move strangely into the Doctor's body.

I was divided between crying and laughing because of my nerves.

"My goodness! I'm a man!" She says with a childish surprise." Yum. So many parts! And hardly used…"

Rose seemed as horrified as me, while her eyes were wide open.

"Tell me I'm dreaming." She said to me. "Please tell me I'm dreaming, Alvia."

"It would be lying to you."

Cassandra squirmed suddenly before exclaiming.

"Ah ... Ah-h! Two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"

"Get out of him!" Rose ordered suddenly without much conviction.

Cassandra put a hand on her body appreciating and commenting on the Doctor.

"Hmmm. He is slim." Cassandra smirked. "And a little bit foxy." She added, raising her eyebrows at Rose.

"You've thought so too, no need to deny it. I was in your head; you spend your time watching. You like it." She continued, mockingly close to Rose who looked away with a sheepish smile.

It was hardly a big revelation ... We did it all. You could say a lot about the Doctor, but this incarnation _is _sexy. I was clearly not going to deny it, not that I was already praising David Tennant.

And all that little nice atmosphere that had grown in this room, suddenly disappeared as the door opened violently and the patients entered slowly but surely in the room.

"Climb the ladder! Now!" I barked as I rushed to the ladder. Cassandra pushed Rose to climb first and the blonde followed the movement and myself. We took a little advance before a firm grip stopped me and I stopped climbing to see Matron Casp.

"Still you?!" I hissed in annoyance. "Leave us alone!"

It was clearly not the best thing to say because she stuck her claws in my ankle.

"So much work, healing, the good name of the Sisterhood, you've destroyed everything!" Shouted the cat furiously.

"It's all your fault!" I refuted, shaking my foot so that she released me.

And she did it, but not for a good reason. Just below her, a patient had reached her ankle, and while I watched with morbid and unhealthy fascination the disease infiltrates the matron, Rose called me to climb. As soon as Cassandra waits for the top where a locked door was, a deaf dialogue began between Rose, Cassandra and the Doctor to open the door and order Cassandra to leave. While she suggested for a moment to go inside, I spat angrily against her not to dare to invade my body. Instead, she went to have the patient below me and I hurried up, joining Rose and the Doctor.

The Doctor closed the door and my head seemed to split in two while black filled my eyes.

* * *

The Doctor, who was already furious, seemed to be even more so when he saw Cassandra owning Alvia.

"It was your last warning, Cassandra!" Shouted the Doctor.

But she didn't listen, instead she screamed in pain as she held her skull while her back hit the concrete wall.

"Aaah! My head!" She screamed with pain.

"What's wrong, Doctor?" Rose asked, slightly frightened by screams from Alvia.

The Doctor, worried and not seeming to know, didn't answer. A few seconds later, Cassandra stopped screaming as she stood up, tears in her eyes and looked scared.

"Her spirit ... Oh my god. Her mind!" Cassandra commented softly. "She was so alone into darkness for so long ..." She breathed in horror.

Rose and the Doctor didn't seem to understand what Cassandra had just revealed, but it seemed sad to them. The Doctor reached out and asked if she could walk. Cassandra calmly observed her hand and didn't refuse it. They started running again, the Doctor's mind turning slightly towards the revelation of the redhead before putting them aside. This was much more important for the moment. They arrived in the patient's visiting room where the Duke of Manhattan was and his audience, as well as the sleeping Boe Face who was being watched by Novice Hame. The assistant stopped them with a stool before the three lifted their arms to show they weren't infected.

The assistant explained to them the situation in the rest of the hospital before telling them that she was trying to bring the authorities here, against the advice of the Doctor. While the irritable audience became even more so, Cassandra suddenly slapped the woman in glasses to the surprise of everyone.

"Why did you do that?" The Doctor asked with shock.

"It bothered me, and a small voice in my head whispered to me to do something."

"That would be Alvia," joked Rose.

"I doubt it very much, her mind is too far away from mine so that something can reach me, and there is no way I touch her mind after what I saw." Cassandra countered.

"Rose, Cassandra, Novice Hame, everyone!" The Doctor called suddenly. "Give me a pocket of solution for every disease, hurry up! "

All worked to recover the pockets of liquid drugs and sort them so that there was only one of each disease treated. The Doctor retrieved a circular metal mechanism before wrapping his torso with a yellow rope. As soon as the liquid pockets were sorted, Rose helped him to hang each pocket on the rope and the Doctor ran to the elevator to open it.

"The elevator is not working!" Rose informed.

"It's blocked, it's different!"

"In what?" Retorted the redhead.

The brown-haired man stepped back to gain momentum, wedging his sonic between his teeth, and ran before jumping to catch the metal wire of the elevator.

"Are you completely crazy?!" Rose cried anxiously as he saw him stand in the air. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going down!" He mumbled, screwdriver in his mouth, before removing it. "I need another pair of hands, Alvia come!"

"It's Cassandra!" She snapped dryly.

"Right..." he said rolling his eyes. "And you who's so determined to stay alive, why not live a bit?"

Cassandra looked at the Doctor as if he had just lost his mind and suddenly the patients slowly arrived in the hallway. Rose returned to the room next to the assistant and closed the door with a slight mocking smile.

Cassandra's choice was therefore simple, she gained momentum as well before running and jumping before catching up with the Doctor just with her arms on her shoulders while her legs were firmly grasping the Doctor's body.

"Let's go!" The Doctor screamed before engaging a mechanism that made them descend at full speed.

Cassandra closed her eyes but didn't scream as the Doctor screamed with pleasure and excitement. They finally reached the bottom, just above the elevator, Cassandra retreated from the Doctor before he gave her any indication for the rest.

"When I say it, pull that lever," he said, pointing to the lever.

Cassandra started to protest but the Doctor raised his voice before explaining what he was going to do. Cassandra then knelt down while the Doctor tore the plastic of the package with his teeth before pouring it into the tub next to it. From the fifth liquid added, the tank began to smoke alarmingly, and Cassandra thought it was better not to touch it without expecting consequences.

As soon as the last pouch was emptied, the Doctor got rid of the yellow rope around his neck and opened the elevator to get inside.

"The lever will resist but you have to hold it in position. Shoot on all your strengths?"

"And you?"

"I'm going to consult!" The Doctor joked with a smile on his lips.

The Doctor finally jumped and as soon as he got up he pointed his screwdriver before activating to open the elevator doors, from then on, he called the sick to have them come and Cassandra who pulled the lever towards her with all her force criticized his idea of bringing them here, having no idea what he was going to do.

The elevator indicated the beginning of the disinfection step and it began a few seconds later. The patients returned to the elevator a few seconds after the modified liquid began to be sprayed. The man in the brown suit screamed with joy to pass the product to all the infected. And they did it, each infected who had been sprinkled by the solution touched the others. The affected parties smoked before the diseases began to disappear quickly until they were all treated.

The Doctor observed them with joy and pride before bringing down Cassandra. The redhead asked if the Doctor had killed all the infected before he answered no, and that was his way of doing things. He advanced to find himself in the reception room.

"I am the Doctor and I cured them!"

While the new humans looked at their surroundings with new eyes and a childish air, a young woman approached the Doctor and he held her in his arms. She enjoyed for the first time to be in a warm embrace without any consequences. Then he went to send the woman to another man who took her in his arms.

"It's a brand-new species, Cassandra. A whole new form of life. New-human! Look at them! Look! Brought up by cats, keep in the shade and fed with pipes but alive!" He exclaimed with joy before turning to the possessed redhead. "You can't deny them because you helped create them."

The redhead rolled her eyes at the information, as if she cared about a race created chemically.

"Humanity continues to move forward, continues to change. Life! AH!"

Later, the police were called and arrested all the nurse's cat and all the new humans were gathered to be catalogued.

The Doctor and Cassandra returned to the floor where Rose was waiting. When they arrived, they looked without emotion as the novice Hame was arrested and taken out of the floor. Crossing Hame's gaze, the Doctor remembered the Face of Boe and ran to join him. He was still in the same place, not having moved but was awake. Joined by Rose and followed by his companion, the Doctor went to the giant face, putting on his jacket and buttoning it.

"You are supposed to be dying," greeted the Doctor.

"_There are better things to do today,_" joked the Face of Boe mentally. "_Dying can wait."_

"Oh, I hate telepathy," Cassandra complained. "Just what I needed; a head full of a big face."

Rose smacked the ribs of the red-head with her elbow to silence her.

_"I'm tired of the universe, Doctor ..."_ continued the face. "_But you taught me to look at it again. You and the fox."_

The Doctor stepped forward before crouching down.

"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old."

"_There are?" _He laughed softly. "_It would be impossible."_

"Wouldn't it just? But I feel like ... you wanted to tell me ..."

_"The big secret."_

"As the legend says."

_"But that can wait."_

"Is it really necessary?"

_"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time and for the last time, watched over by a dear old friend... and that day the truth will be told. But until that day ..." _finished the Face of Boe before leaving the hospital by teleporting.

The Doctor got up, impressed and slightly disappointed at not knowing the truth today.

As he nodded to end all of this, he finally turned to Alvia who was examining her nails, completely uninterested in her surroundings.

"And now for you."

"All's well that ends well, right? Why not leave me alone?"

"Like I'm going to let you go with Alvia's body ..." retorted the Doctor. "You have lived enough, leave her body alone and go away, Cassandra."

Cassandra pretended to cry while pleading for her cause, but that didn't affect the Doctor. And the two debated, Rose seriously considering telling the Doctor to leave Cassandra in Alvia's body. But to Rose's misfortune, to the Doctor's anger and to Cassandra's joy, her servant, Chip, who seemed to have survived and kept himself alive, went to help the woman.

"Over here, Chip! You're alive! I can't believe it."

"I kept myself safe, for you, mistress."

Cassandra looked at Chip, the wheels spinning at full speed in her mind. She narrowed her eyes a victorious smile growing on the lips.

"A body! And not only that, a volunteer. No more abominations for roommates in my head."

"Don't even try!" Warned the Doctor, pointing a finger at her. "He has his own life!"

"But I welcome the mistress."

Cassandra winked at her servant.

"I welcome her to my mind."

The Doctor protested but Cassandra ignored him and jumped into Chip's body. Alvia gasped suddenly and fell to the floor, but the Doctor rushed to catch her and help her recover her balance.

* * *

The darkness that had covered my spirit and that was pressuring flew away and the light came back as I regained control of my body. Arms grabbed me as I fell, and it took me some time to regain my bearings.

"Whoa! You're okay?"

I ended up picking up my mind and as I watched the one who was holding me, the Doctor, I sighed with relief before smiling at him softly.

"Hello."

"Hi. It's so good to see you again," greeted the Doctor with a smile.

My smile grew and our moment was interrupted by Cassandra who stood up while observing her arms and commenting, so the Doctor released me and backed a little to turn to Cassandra.

"Ooh, sweet lord, I am a walking doodle."

"You can't stay in him. I'm sorry Cassandra but it's not fair. I'm going to take you to town. They'll make a body for your trial."

"Well, that would be pretty dramatic," Cassandra joked, raising her eyebrows. "No doubt my hottest hour and my smallest head. But no time, I'm afraid. Poor Chip is only a clone, a half-life and therefore a half heart. And oh, this heart has lived today, he's galloping right now. He's failing, even. I don't think it will last - ..."

Her legs gave way and we rushed to Cassandra to help her stand up. My strength being weak because of the possession, I could not do much. But we helped her sit down.

"Everything is fine?" Rose asks suddenly.

"I'm fine," said the respondent automatically, before pausing.

I exchanged a look with the Doctor before returning to Cassandra with concern. I knew she wasn't going to live long. It was the last moment she was living.

"You are dying ..." I declared softly.

"But it's good," Cassandra agreed. "Everything is new on this planet, there is no more room for Chip and me. You were right Doctor, it's time for me to die."

"But you can't!" Rose protested. "Doctor we have to help her."

"Everything has its time, and everything dies." I quoted thinking about what the 9th Doctor had said about the Satellite Five.

Rose looked annoyed, she seemed to have swallowed a whole lemon.

"And I made my time ..." Cassandra buzzes.

"Can I at least do one last thing for you?" The Doctor solemnly asked.

"There is." She confessed.

Rose and the Doctor helped Cassandra to get up and take her to Tardis. When the blue box was a few meters away, I snapped my fingers discreetly and the doors opened, letting us into the console room. Cassandra asked the Doctor and he drove Sexy to the desired place without problems. Rose and the Doctor accompanied Cassandra for her last moment and I stayed in the Tardis; not forgetting to say goodbye to Cassandra even if she had taken possession of my body. I didn't come because I thought that seeing the last moments of Cassandra was not suitable for me. I didn't have to observe this intimacy. I didn't even know Cassandra.

Instead, I stayed in the comfort of the Tardis, chatting quietly with the sensitive time machine. But the discussion didn't last as long as it was thought, because the effects of possession appeared, increased fatigue and a headache pounding at my temples. I rubbed my eyes and temples, swearing softly and wishing for medicine for my head. While waiting for the return of the Doctor and Rose, I went to make a hot chocolate in the kitchen where the lights were dim. The constant buzzing of the Tardis was slightly attenuated and didn't allow the increase of my headache.

I slowly drank my hot chocolate, both hands around the hot cup when I heard some noise in the hallway. Rose and the Doctor were back. I could hear the two chatting but I didn't hear anything from the discussion and a few minutes later footsteps approached the kitchen before the Doctor glanced around the room and noticed me.

"Here you are, I wondered where you could hide."

His suddenly happy tone made my temples beat violently and I pressed my head against my hand and blew hard. The suddenly worried Doctor hurried to me.

"What's going on, Alvia?"

"Headache, I thought I was taking medication and plunged into the dark, but I don't remember where the med-bay is."

"Where are you hurting?" Asked the Doctor concerned.

"Temples..."

The Doctor said nothing but put his hand against my cheek, not daring to touch my temples.

"I don't think drugs can solve the problem..." he says seriously. "This is not the first time your mind has been touched. Do you remember Satellite Five? When did the Editor use a device that searched into your mind? I didn't heal your mind after that, but I think that had an impact on your mind. And Cassandra said something that worried me when she took possession of your body."

"What are you going to do?" I mumbled softly.

"I'll only do it with your permission," said the Doctor seriously. "I would like to see your mind."

"Do you mean telepathically?"

"That's the idea," confirmed the Doctor.

I started thinking about what the Doctor was proposing. On the one hand, I knew that my head hurt and that my mind had been invaded several times with consequences, so something had to be done so that I wouldn't be vulnerable to mental attacks. On the other hand, if I allowed the Doctor to enter my mind and I was not paying attention, all my knowledge of the series will no longer be hidden from the Doctor; and what would be the risks that would run next?

I had arguments for both sides and I didn't know what to do. But the Doctor's hand, which rested on my shoulder and my head beating painfully, made me the decision.

"Okay, let's do that." I said, shaking my head and putting down my empty cup.

The Doctor took my hand and helped me up.

"Let's go to a comfortable place where we don't risk being bothered by Rose, to do that."


	17. The Darkness of the Spirit

hi everyone, like i said new chapter!

I do not have much to say except that I'm getting sick: /

that will not stop me from writing anyway!

enjoy this chapter everyone, i'll start a new chapter in a few days (I need rest).

* * *

His warm hand holding mine was pulling gently as he led me through the corridors to a destination unknown. But a few minutes later, my curiosity was finally rewarded. The Doctor pushed a dark wooden door that once had colored engraving, gilded if I'm not mistaken.

He released my hand and invited me to enter the room doing a butler imitation and despite the constant beating of my head, I allowed myself to gently laugh at his facial expressions. The room exceeded all my expectations, it was calm and warm. The room was circular, had a heavy parquet floor covered with a huge blue round rug, the wall was white stone and was a certain place hidden by book-filled bookshelves, spellbinding and artifacts. The room had a fireplace that at the time was off and also had two sofas and an armchair covered with a fabric that looked soft and smooth blue, like the carpet. But it wasn't a thing compared to the ceiling, which in my opinion was the most impressive and the most beautiful in my eyes. It was a glass roof almost similar to that of the Grand Palais in Paris. I could see through the glass the infinite space with its galaxies some planets and stars. A real dream.

"It's the observatory. It was already there when I stole the Tardis in my first body," the Doctor gently said behind me as he slowly closed the door. "As far as I know, only the old Tardis had an observatory and we both know that my magnificent vessel was only a forgotten antiquity in a museum for Tardis ..."

"It's beautiful," I breathed in wonder. "That's how I would imagine the Ravenclaw common room in Harry Potter. "

He chuckled softly and led me to the sofa by putting a hand on my back between my shoulder blades. We sat on the same sofa and the texture was the sweetest I've ever touched before; not even the extraterrestrial silk that I had touched in a market with the 9th Doctor could compare.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" The Doctor asked again. " It's up to you. "

"You have to do it," I said seriously. "I can't leave my mind in this state, I can't leave my helpless spirit to anyone who can reach it, if some of my knowledge was in bad hands, it wouldn't only cause your death, but the end of reality itself. "

The Doctor stared at me quietly before nodding. He took off his shoes and crossed his legs on the couch as I did the same.

"Do you know a few things about telepathy? "

"You need to touch my temples to access them, I know you can force me to fall asleep, erase memories or walk in my memories. And if I don't want you to have access to some things, I have to imagine a closed door. "

"Very good," congratulated the Doctor. "First of all, I will penetrate your mind to observe and graze its surface, I will help you build walls of defense, if I don't notice something abnormal I will go in your memories to see what Cassandra saw and what she called 'darkness'. "

His hands rested on both sides of my face, his fingers gently landing against my temples and the freshness of his hands were pleasant against my skin.

"Close your eyes ..." he murmured softly. "And breathe slowly. "

I did what he asked of me and it took me a few minutes for my breathing and my heart to be slow and quiet. While the dull thump in my head had been relaying to the last shots, I could feel in my mind a slight presence touching me.

"_That's it, Alvia ... Open your mind_." He added.

His presence became clearer, and I gasped in surprise, realizing how old and immensely his mind was. His mind gently brushed mine as if to say hello.

"I feel you." I whispered admiringly.

_Just as I feel you_, the Doctor murmured in my mind. _I will now start to inspect your mind. Remember if you don't want me to see your mind then ..._

_Imagine a closed door, _I continued mentally_. I remember, and you'll know if I don't want you to see something, I'm good at imagining and creating things._

_I don't have any doubts, _joked the Doctor.

His mind approached mine and looked at it from every angle, looking for the slightest problem. I felt like a little creature that was handled with care and dexterity by a passionate scientist who wanted only good for the creature. I hope the Doctor didn't hear my thoughts, otherwise I risk being mortified ...

Finally, the Doctor didn't seem to find anything on the surface of my mind and decided to help me create defenses before walking in my memories.

_I'll help you lay the foundations of the walls that will protect your mind_, he said quietly_. It will be up to you to build them and solidify them in the best way according to you._

At these words, I felt a slight pressure around my mind and if I had to compare it to something real it would be like getting dressed for the winter.

_Now it's up to you to build the walls of your mind._

_How can I do that?_

_Imagine a wall, a door, an element that could cover your mind and protect it from attack._

And that's what I did, I did my best to imagine my defense and make it grow; I tested my artist soul and my scientific mind and knowledge to create the most complex, strong and elegant defense. In my mind I imagined a replica of the sun in the opening of Game of Thrones or Nidavellir in Marvel, with my mind in its center, the rings that surrounded and revolved around my mind. I imagined every material in each ring, Azbantium as in Heaven Sent, Ice as the Wall and Wildfire in Game of Thrones, Fiendfyre as the most beautiful, dangerous fantasy creature and dark spell in Harry Potter, Black and Blue Fire similar to the one used by Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts and finally the last rings that wasn't solid and had no base like those made of fire; was a fluid rings in constant movement and evolving, as if it were alive, its movement was erratic and in such anger, and this rings was a dark red and was clearly inspired by the stone of infinity that manipulated reality, The Ether in the Marvel Universe.

Each ring was now created, all gigantic and threatening, promising pain and suffering to the one who forced their way into my spirit. The rings snapped and began their slow circular dance around my mind to protect it, little by little their speed grew and there was a moment when it was impossible to pass through each ring without being destroyed.

_Do you think that will do?_ I asked.

The Doctor who had stepped back so as not to get caught by the rings circled my mind, searching and thinking about a way to get in before returning to his original position.

_I have nothing to complain about this defense, I imagine you can increase or slow down the speed of the rings?_

_Yes, that was the idea after all,_ I giggled proudly.

_It's a very good defense_, the Doctor repeated. _May I now have access to your mind?_

My only answer was the slowing down of the rings, those made of fire and which seemed to be alive like the Wildfire, the Fiendfyre and the Ether calmed down and let the Doctor pass and infiltrate my memories. Unlike earlier, I could totally discern my mind from his. His seemed to be warm and although he had a shade share it was mainly luminous; my mind was slightly cold and of a luminous blue similar to that of Terreract without being so much retained in the form of a cube.

Every step the Doctor was doing in my mind was like a hot / cold contact and it made me shiver slightly. The Doctor was quietly observing the memories he had access to, and those who were forbidden to him were locked behind a black stone door that recalled Auguste Rodin's door to hell, but unlike the sculpture of the artwork, my doors were decorating engravings of gold and silver with a different meaning, there were references to everything that I could read and observe in my old world. The doors were closed, locked and surrounded by huge, heavy chains that joined a huge black padlock that had no opening to insert a key but only a bright white seal in motion that evoked the motives of the Mirror of Shadows.

This door was somehow my Door of Truth, and the Doctor quickly understood that this was where I hid my knowledge and all my secrets. He continued in my memory until arriving at a memory that was unfamiliar to me and instinctively, I felt a frightful fear grow in me. The Doctor thought that was certainly what Cassandra had mentioned and he was right, when he decided to observe the memory in its entirety with me, I started to panic. This memory was right after the incident that tore me from my world, I was in darkness and I couldn't feel anything. It wasn't cold or hot; I didn't touch anything, and I felt like I was floating. I didn't feel my heartbeat and I couldn't hear my breath; I didn't breathe. I was cut off from all my senses and quickly the madness invaded my mind.

That same madness was beginning to resurface and as my mind began to get chaotic, the Doctor withdrew from my mind quickly, my rings of protection quickly back in motion.

But I didn't seem to have come back to reality right away, because when I did, the Doctor's hands were against my cheeks, wiping away tears that had flowed without my noticing. He whispered to me words of comfort and encouragement to regain my mind, to drive away this gloomy madness.

I buried my face in his chest, crying with all my soul as the Doctor wrapped his arms around me and brought my body closer to his. He made us change our position so that we both laid on the sofa.

My fists held his suit jacket tight so that my knuckles were white, and I threatened to tear the seams of his jacket. One of his hands went up to my neck and gently rubbed my exposed skin.

It took me a long time to calm down and during that time, the memory of the darkness gradually faded from my mind so that I couldn't remember anything at all.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asks softly.

I moved my head slowly to confirm before opening my mouth.

"I-I don't remember what we just saw ..." I croaked. "No matter what we saw, I don't want to relive that ... Never again ..."

"I promise you, Alvia. You will not have to relive that anymore. "

I hummed softly to thank him before the silence returned. I broke the silence again to ask him what he had seen because I didn't remember it.

"What was that? This memory? "

"I have only seen a few bits of this memory, but I am able to give you an answer. "

"Some bits? How long is this memory? "

"Much longer than we imagined ... The human mind with the fascinating ability to forget something too traumatic to avoid a permanent destructive madness ..."

"Why? Why does my mind prefer to forget than remember? "

"Because this darkness mentioned by Cassandra isn't normal darkness. This is the Void. And from what I could see ... You may have spent more than a thousand years in the Void ... "

I stiffened immediately; did he say the Void? Was he talking about the same Void? Of the same _'dimension'_ that was between each universe?

I retreated slightly without falling off the couch, to observe the Doctor. I was looking for any clue that came from him to know if he was telling me the truth. But I couldn't find any lies.

"More ... Than a ... Thousand… years?" I croaked with horror.

"The Void is a dimension where the concept of time does not exist," he explained softly as he passes a hand through my hair. "From the moment your body touched the Void it was sort of stasis, but your mind wasn't, and all that time spent there necessarily affects the mind but as soon as you got here your spirit had the defense system of suppressing all memory of that period. Because as a human, your brain doesn't have the capacity to hold more than a thousand years of memories and often during a traumatic event human prefer to forget the shock in question. "

"So ... I'm over a thousand years old? "

"No. Physically as well as mentally you are still young. "

"It's just ... I-I don't know how to take all that ..." I admitted with a small wave of the hand.

The Doctor's arm tightened slightly and decided to change our position again. I blushed from this new position. The Doctor was lying down the entire length of the sofa while my body was on his, my head turned in the middle of his chest so that I could hear the beating of his heart. The rhythm of four cradled me into a welcome drowsiness. His hand gently rubbed my back in a slow circular gesture.

"You don't have to face it alone ... I'm here."

I closed my eyes.

"Thank you ..." I murmured before yawning softly.

" Sleep, now…. You need it. "

And that's what I did, lying in the Doctor's arms. Monitored by the Tardis and the space above us, I entered the embrace of Morpheus to achieve a restful sleep without dreams. And when I wake up the next morning, I'll be in the Doctor's arms again, asleep.


	18. Tooth and Claw

**Hi everyone ! it is currently midnight and a few minutes and I am absolutely not tired while I still have class tomorrow. I'm on fire!**

**Here is a new chapter that I loved writing, it's one of my favorite episodes with the 10th doctor.**

**I do not know if I already told you, but I publish this story on other platforms such as Ao3 and wattpad or Quotev. and I will absolutely brag for the moment that my story is #4 in the DOCTORWHO category (yes written like that). I don't know if it will last a long time, but I am very happy that my story is so much read on wattpad as well as and Ao3, and people like it.**

**it's my baby and I'm proud of it. all the reviews I read motivate me even more. I won't say that it helps me to write, that would be a lie; being so passionate about Doctor Who helps me a lot (and having lots of free time for the moment, easy to find scripts to write episodes in addition to the series and a plot more of the one that already exists in Doctor Who [Now that's a big spoiler for you * wink *])**

**Anyway, thank you everyone for reading me ! and thank you Bored411 to be my bêta (****sorry about the punctuation, Word seems to be against me about this [especially when I translate :/])**

**I leave you with this chapter, enjoy !**

* * *

I was in my bath, enjoying the hot water mixed with skincare products listening to music from the video game 'The Witcher 3' when another music of a completely different style mixed with mine. I groaned at my wasted pleasure and I ended my time of care and rest. I grabbed the nearest towel to cover my body before removing any water that ran down my curves and rubbed my hair vigorously to remove the most moisture before brushing and leaving.

I rushed to get dressed. I took a red t-shirt with a very light black polo shirt before taking a black hooded vest and my frock coat. I have my faithful skinny black high waist pants and red vans too. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I let out an amused sniff. I felt like I was wearing a 12th Doctor cosplay. I rushed to retrieve an apple which I put in a pocket before heading to the empty console room.

A bit of annoyance floated in my mind before I hunted him immediately, it was not the moment nor the situation to be angry, I did not have to complain any more. I lived the craziest dreams of my fandom. The Doctor could go anywhere with anyone, I didn't have to be jealous, especially when I knew the Doctor would never love me like that.

Feelings aside, I finally opened the door of Tardis to go out. I was not greeted by gusts of wind and I was happy to wear a sweater; on the other hand, I was less happy with the weapon pointed at me.

"And who are you, miss?" Asked the man with gun, perched on a black horse. "And why are you wearing an outfit that is so strange and unsuitable for your gender?"

Wow, hello sexism. I'd forgotten how irritating the past could be, especially when it came to women and their outfits.

_Bâtard de misogyne,_ I thought darkly.

"She's with me! This is my apprentice!" Exclaimed the Doctor with a Scottish accent as he went to fetch me. "Always late, a bit lazy that one."

Have I told you before, that I adored the Scottish accent? That and the northern accent and the typical English accent were my favorites. I don't know how I managed not to groan with pleasure at hearing the Scottish accent rolling over the Doctor's tongue as he spoke.

"Yes of course. This is completely normal; all good Doctors see each other in the company of an apprentice. Please come back here." Ordered a woman in the carriage a little further away.

The Doctor took me there with a hand behind my back.

"Lazy and late?" I hissed violently, glaring at him. "I'll show you what the lazy and late can do!"

"Now, now... Alvia, this is Queen Victoria, Empress of India and Protector of the Faith," said the Doctor, repeating what he had said to Rose.

I bowed my head respectfully. It was an honour to meet someone so important in history, even if she was not part of my history.

"Alvia Saxon, Your Majesty. It's an honour to meet you."

She was obviously less happy to meet me, because the slight smile she was wearing had disappeared and her eyes had cooled.

"A Frenchwoman on my lands? I hope you are not aiming to bewitch the minds of my subjects with your thoughts and revolutionary propaganda."

Yeah ... She absolutely didn't like me actually. I feel that this adventure was going to end badly for me.

"It would be to abuse the hospitality of my superior. I am only here to learn all the knowledge that can be offered to me by the Doctor." I replied coldly and with a forced smile.

"I hope so." Replied the Queen with the same tone.

"No offense, madam." The Doctor intervened suddenly. "May I ask you why your majesty is traveling by road when there is a train to Aberdeen?"

"A tree on the way," she replied without giving details.

"An accident?"

"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned," she explained.

"An assassination attempt," guessed the Doctor seriously.

"What, seriously? There's people out to kill you?"

"Rose, she is part of Royalty, of course there are people who seek to end her life." I added quietly.

"And you know a lot about it, aren't you French?"

"It's only pure logic, Your Grace," I replied with false politeness.

The man on his horse who had pointed his gun at me shortly before came to us and informed us that the house of a nobleman was not far away.

"This Doctor and his timorous beastie and well as ... his French apprentice will come with us." Queen Victoria ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am." The captain obeyed. "We should move on; the night begins to fall."

"Indeed, and there are stories of wolves in the vicinity. Fanciful tales intended to scare the youngest, but good for the blood, I think. Drive on!"

The carriage restarted and we left the Tardis in the fields. I could see that Rose was happy with our situation and was smiling at the Doctor. For my part I was not as happy as Rose and the Doctor, mainly because of the hostility shown by the Queen. As we walked behind the carriage calmly, I put my hands in my pockets and took the opportunity to take out the apple just now. I had a craving and I needed strength to walk 15 km on foot.

On our way, Rose remarked that when we were talking about assassination, we immediately thought of Kennedy. It is true that he was the most recent to us. The Doctor told us that the Queen has had six assassination attempts to date, and they were both delighted to have met the Queen.

"I want to make her say 'I'm not amused'. I bet five quid that I can make her say it."

"Well, if I bet on that, it would be an abuse of my time travel privilege."

"Ten quid?" Rose tried

"Done," replied the Doctor quickly.

"What about you, Alvia? Do you want to take the bet?"

"I never take part in a bet ... It's against my education."

"You do not want to lose money, is that it?" Laughed the Doctor.

"Who said I had money?" I snickered, raising an eyebrow.

"So, no bet, Alvia?" Asked Rose.

"We know for sure that you will win the bet. The Doctor is with us, anything and everything can happen."

"Oi, that's not true!" He said.

"Are you sure? Because 99% of the adventures, we end up running for our life and any bet is won."

"And the 1%?"

"It's in the Tardis."

"Indeed," conceded Rose with an amused smile. "But our life is better like that."

"It seems that you like to run and that you don't spit out your lungs every time you run 10 meters."

The Doctor burst out laughing, and we joined him quickly in this innocent and happy atmosphere.

* * *

When we finally arrived at the domain, the night was not far away, and the clouds were dark. The Torchwood mansion was stone and beautiful, albeit a bit dark for my tastes, but this was due to the rain that had clouded the stones and tiles. The ground was muddy, and I took great care not to slip and fall to the ground, especially since I was wearing converse whose soles had long been smoothed by running.

There was no one in the yard, and the house seemed empty as there was no sign of life or agitation. When the Queen finally came out of her carriage, the owner of the house came out, followed by a totally bald servant, whose air was slightly threatening.

The owner walked over to the Queen and bowed to her.

"Your Majesty." He greeted.

"Sir Robert." Saluted the Queen in return. "My apologies for the emergency. How is Lady Isobel doing?"

"She's… indisposed, I am afraid. She went to Edinburgh for the season, and she took the cook with her. The provisions in the kitchens are very low. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if she wanted to continue to ride on." Sir Robert quickly apologized, as if he wanted the Queen to go.

But given that the bald men held his staff and his wife hostage with the alien version of a werewolf, it hardly surprised me of his reaction.

"Not at all! I have had enough of the carriage exercise, and this house is so charming, so rustic. This is my first visit to this house, my late husband spoke of it often: the Torchwood Estate."

At the name pronounced by the Queen, an unpleasant shiver went up my spine. Even if I wanted to prevent its creation, I could not do anything about it. Already Jack was already working there in Cardiff and Harriet Jones had already used their 'helpers' with Sycorax. The story had already been written, there was nothing I could do except to soften the Queen's anger and maybe save someone tonight.

"Now, will we go inside?" Asked the Queen, completely ignoring the slightly visible reluctance on Sir Robert's face. "And please excuse the naked girl as well as this French fox child."

The Doctor and Rose argued and tried to make the Queen say the words bet; while I remained silent and bowed my head slightly when Sir Robert looked at me. The Queen seemed to know about the bet that was previously ignored, making Rose groan with disappointment. The Queen then entered the house, followed by Sir Robert, who was under the dark surveillance of the bald butler. The Captain, who was on horseback, ordered that the Queen's belongings be taken out and put in safety, so one of the guards carefully moved a small brown box containing the Queen's diamond.

The Doctor dared to ask what was inside and his request was immediately rejected by Captain Reynolds who then ordered the rest of the guards to take their positions. As soon as all the guards started to get to their positions, we ended up going inside the mansion.

Sir Robert was chatting quietly with the Queen and he decided to show his father's work. So, we followed the man and the Queen in silence down the halls and stairs and finally arrived in an observatory room where there was a huge telescope which was—and I really thought so—magnificent.

"This, I presume, is the famous Endeavour."

"All my father's work. Built with his hands during his last years. It had become somewhat of an obsession. He spent all his money there, rather than taking care of the house or himself."

"I would have liked to meet him; I already like him." The Doctor commented with a smile on his lips. "This is beautiful, may I..."

"Help yourself," Robert authorized.

Rose and the Doctor stepped forward to observe the telescope and the wheel next door, but I showed restraint and stayed on the side of royalty. It was mainly because what I wanted to observe was too high for me ... It is unfair to build beauty that was much higher than I could reach. On the other hand, I went to silently observe the paintings that hung on the wall behind us, one of the paintings was the sketch of the telescope and I appreciated the beauty of the lines while the Doctor was rude in everyone's eyes.

"And the imagination of this must be applauded."

"Hmm, thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty." Rose tried again. "Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, right?"

"What's the problem with the fanciful, Rose?" I asked, turning to her, but crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows. "Imagination and fantasy can create what no one could have imagined before and can take a step closer to the immensity of the infinite."

I dared to approach the telescope and stroke the cold metal with my fingertips. My eyes sparkled with admiration and excitement as a mischievous smile reached my lips.

"This device allows you to probe infinite space and discover even more mystery, what could be finer?"

Rose's smile disappeared to be replaced by an annoyed look, while the Doctor looked at me with tenderness.

"I would not have said better, child. And I would not have imagined that in the depths of your rebellious and revolutionary soul was an artist's soul." Added the Queen.

"The world is full of surprises, is it not?" I retorted softly, the smile becoming tense and forced.

"Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, also interested in folklore and fairy tales." Congratulated Queen Victoria, observing with admiration the astronomical apparatus.

"Star and magic." Added the Doctor. "I appreciate him more and more."

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." Said the Queen, approaching Rose and myself. "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe-Coburg."

"That's Bavaria." Added the Doctor to our ears.

And the Doctor seemed to be closer to me than to Rose, as his words and his breath warmed my ear, making me blush gently.

"When Albert knew about your local wolves, he was transported."

"Wolves?" I asked with interest. "Dare I ask if they are normal wolves?"

"It's just a story," Sir Robert hesitated, looking at his very uncomfortable bald butler. "But if you insist... It's said that... "

"Excuse me, sir." The butler cut him off. "Perhaps her Majesty and her court could retreat to their apartments. It is almost dark."

"Of course. Yes, of course."

"And then supper. And… could we find clothes for Miss Tyler?" Asked the Queen, turning slightly towards the blonde. "I am tired of her nakedness."

And before Rose can try to make his comment, I pinched rather badly her bare arm. She hissed heavily in pain, drawing the Queen's attention before turning to Sir Robert and continuing to speak.

I missed catching a Rose slap, but the Doctor grabbed Rose's wrist and mumbled for us to behave. As soon as the Queen had finished speaking and Sir Robert nodded and bowed. The Queen left the room, quickly followed by us.

We were allocated rooms, and I was resting happily on the bed which was deliciously mellow and comfortable when someone gently knocked on the door.

"It's open." I said.

It was the Doctor. He was no longer wearing his cloak and went to sit next to me on the bed.

"The Queen seems to have a grudge against you, right?"

"I think it's a national that she resents. I didn't know that the France-England relationship was so bad at this time. The French Revolution and Napoleon didn't fix things. It is an incredible chance that England became our ally in the twentieth century..."

"This rivalry will last a long time," confessed the Doctor. "And nothing will be able to stop it."

"Like America and Russia?" I asked with a hint of humor.

"Like America and Russia," the Doctor confirmed, chuckling lightly.

Someone knocked on the door again before entering, it was another bald butler.

"The dinner is almost ready," he said abruptly. " Please follow me."

And he turned quickly to the exit to take us there.

The Doctor and I shared a look before quickly joining the butler so as not to get lost in the mansion and not to miss dinner. When we arrived in the dining room, Queen Victoria, Captain Reynolds and Sir Robert were already there, only Rose was missing. We waited a bit before sitting down to eat before the main bald butler came to inform us that she was delayed by the change of clothes. She was more delayed by the chains that kept her in the cellar with the werewolf than by her outfit.

"Oh, everything's fine. As long as we save her a wee bit of ham," reassured the Doctor.

"The wild child might eat it on the bone." The Queen added with humor.

Reynolds laughed lightly, humiliating himself a bit in the eyes of the Queen, never having had the opportunity to have dinner with her. This situation was slightly embarrassing. And as the Queen scolded the Captain as my eyes fell on the wine that was served in our glasses. The butler arrived at my glass, but the Doctor put his hand on it.

"No wine for her, thank you. Just water."

"Very good sir. "

The man removed the bottle and went to fetch water; the Doctor leaned slightly towards me to whisper in my ear.

"No more alcohol, remember?"

"That's not fair ..." I mumbled, making a slight pout.

He chuckled for a moment, throwing me an amused and tender look. His hand was going to join mine to squeeze it gently as he turned to Sir Robert.

"Besides, we're all waiting for on Sir Robert! Come, Sir. You promised us a tale of nightmare."

"Indeed," said the Queen. "Since my husband's death, I have appreciated more and more supernatural fictions."

"You must miss him." Remarked the Doctor, turning the Queen's head.

"Very much," she replied as her stern attitude relaxed slightly as she thought of her late husband with sorrow. "Oh, completely." She added before a sweet smile settled on her lips. "And that's all the charm of ghost stories, isn't it? Not the fear and the thrill, that's for children; but the… hope of contact with the great beyond. We all want messages from that place. It's the great mystery of the Creator, not to have such consolation. The dead remain silent, and we must wait."

My mood had softened as I saw grief and sorrow invade the Queen during her little speech. I glanced to see the same emotions float in the dark eyes of the Doctor, and I intertwined my fingers with his in comfort. My thumb was rubbing circles on his skin as he stood solemn and was probably thinking of his own people and family. The idea of holding the Doctor in my arms to kiss his forehead or indeed his hand that I held to comfort him, comes to my mind; but I couldn't do it at the risk of offending the table and the Queen and appearing even more unseemly to everyone.

The Queen suddenly moved away from her moody mood and returned to the stories of wolves.

"Begin your tale, Sir Robert. There're chills in the air. The wind howls through the eaves. Tell us of monsters!"

Sir Robert started then, still uneasy as the butlers looked at him somberly.

"The story goes back three hundred years. Every full moon, howls roam through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and… devoured," said the noble.

"Oh, such stories are the work of thieves," the Captain announced, not believing what the noble was saying. "Steal a sheep and blame the wolf, simple as that."

"But sometimes a child goes missing," continued Sir Robert, ignoring Reynolds' intervention. "Once in a generation, a boy will vanish from his homestead. Never again did families see their children again..."

"Are there descriptions of the creature?" The Doctor asked with curiosity.

"Oh yes, Doctor. Drawings and wood carvings. And it's not merely a wolf, it's more than that. It's a man who becomes an animal..."

"A werewolf?" The Doctor guessed, leaning forward, intrigued.

I took a sip of the water, looking darkly at the bald man at the back of the room.

"My father didn't treat this story as a simple story, he said it was a fact. He claimed to have communed with the beast and knew his designs. I should have listened."

The bald man moved to the window by me, and everyone ignored him. My hand slid gently toward the knife which I hoped would be sharp and silver so I could defend myself later.

"His work was hindered, he made enemies," spoke the nobleman quickly. "There is a monastery in the glen of Saint Catherine. The brethren opposed my father's investigations."

The butler began to gently chant a litany of words that I recognized as Latin.

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly," commented the Queen.

"That's what I thought, but now I wonder... What if there was a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet? What if they turned away from God and worshipped the wolf?" Sir Robert finished, glancing frantically from time to time at the bald man who was still chanting.

The Doctor's attention was in turn attracted by this man, and while silence reigned in the dining room, the words chanted by the man were distinct. He repeated again and again "Lupus Deus is."

"What if they were with us right now?" The Doctor added, looking at the father of the monastery, the truth suddenly falling.

The agitation and the fear won over all royalty and his guard, while Reynolds suddenly pointed his weapon and all spoke at the same time, even the Doctor.

I grabbed the knife, putting it in my pockets before grabbing the wrist of the Doctor and Sir Robert.

"Guide us, Sir Robert," I ordered suddenly.

And we ran out of the room towards the cellar as quickly as possible. The closer we got to the cries of the detainees came to our ears and the grunts of a creature. The Doctor thrust the wooden door with his foot and as soon as we entered the room, Rose who was still tied, shouted at us.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I didn't answer as well as the Doctor. My eyes had been on the werewolf who hadn't yet finished his transformation, but who seemed totally ready to tear us with his teeth and his claws. The Doctor complimented the beauty of the creature.

"Not the moment, Doctor!" I exclaimed as I came to the aid of the detainees by also pulling on their chains.

The cage began to give way to the frenzied frenzy of the creature and luckily the chain gave way, allowing the escape of all those who had been detained. The Doctor led everyone out frantically and I did the same, not forgetting to catch the Doctor on the way. The Doctor closed the door and locked it with his sonic, which was useless since the creature would destroy the door. We ran down the hall as fast as we could, hearing the wolf screaming at the moon. The men who took care of the house took weapons and I did not even try to prevent them. If I intervened, I would only insult in addition to being demoted to a woman. God, that I hated the past for sexism and misogyny.

The Doctor spoke quickly to Rose at the same time as he released the chains and the blonde replied that the wolf wanted the power, the throne, the Queen. The sound of the door was heard as well as the grunt of the wolf and the Doctor went to see before running and catching Rose's hand, pulling her behind the men who were pointing their weapons. I somehow managed to sneak past both men and in pain I reached the side of the Doctor when the men fired suddenly, making my eardrums resonate painfully. The smell of gunpowder tickled my nose and the smoke made me cough. As soon as he had finished shooting, the Doctor indicated to join the Queen, but one of the men disagreed and was arrogant. He moved around the room, mocking the wolf before being caught by the same wolf and was torn by fangs and sharp claws.

I opened my mouth in horror, my eyes widening and my tears threatening to flow. The Doctor grabbed my shoulder as well as Rose's and pushed us to the exit as the wolf feasted on the other poor men. We quickly joined Sir Robert to go in search of the Queen. We found it as we headed for the stairs.

"Sir Robert, what's happening? I heard such terrible noises," asked the Queen anxiously as she walked down the steps.

"Your Majesty, we must leave. But is Father Angelo still there?"

"Captain Reynolds disposed of him."

"The front door is no longer an option," said the Doctor suddenly. "It was barricaded. Pardon me, Your Majesty, but you will have to leg it out of a window."

He gestured through a door and the Queen raised her chin to show her courage. We started again and found ourselves in another room on the floor.

"Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress." Intervened the nobleman.

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh."

"This is not the time for all titles of nobility and the turns of phrases!" I exclaimed impatiently, gesturing with my hands.

Sir Robert suddenly climbed onto the windowsill, opened it and quickly pressed himself against the wall to dodge the bullets fired by the monks below outside. The Doctor cautiously advanced towards the window, eyes wide open.

"I presume the monks want us to stay inside."

"No kidding!" I hissed.

"Do they know who I am?" Asked the Queen indignantly.

"Clearly. They wouldn't have brought in a fucking werewolf just for one person. Not when his bite seems to transmit the virus." I announced blankly with frankness that outraged the Queen.

"Stop this stupid fantasy!" Growled the Queen. "There really isn't a wolf."

And to contradict the Queen's words, a long, howling wolf echoed through the house, making us return to the source of noise, alarmed. It was so close to us. The Doctor walked past, and we hurriedly left the room, returning to the corridor with the stairs, the wolf knocked on the door to tear it apart and pass through.

"Upstairs, now!" I barked suddenly, gesturing to the stairs.

"That's all?" Asked Rose

"Do you have silver bullets?" Added the Doctor.

"Not on me, no!"

"I have a knife!" I said, taking the silverware out of the meal and waving it gently between my fingers. "Sorry for taking it by the way, Sir Robert. But I think its use is reduced and I absolutely have neither the courage nor the desire to fight the wolf in close combat!"

"Good initiative, Alvia!" Congratulated the Doctor quickly, before taking the Queen's hand. "Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a steady run, good for the health!"

And the Doctor led the Queen up the stairs and climbed quickly followed by Rose, Sir Robert, and me. The door that held the wolf did not hold any longer and the sound of the wood creaking under the wolf's weight was heard as well as the steps it took and its grunts. When we got to the top floors, we ran down the hall looking for an open room. The wolf quickly approached us and as he seemed to be jumping on us, he was violently stopped by a well-placed bullet, fired by Captain Reynolds who had just appeared. The Captains ducked to the place where we stopped, out of breath.

"I'll keep this position. Keep running, for god's sake! Your Majesty, I went to look for the property and it was taken. The chest was empty"

"I have it," reassured the Queen. "It's safe."

The Captain nodded and advised the Queen to withdraw.

"Doctor, you stand as the protector of Her majesty. And you, Sir Robert. You're a traitor of the Crown," said Reynolds as he loads his weapon.

"Bullets can't stop him."

"They'll buy you time. Now, run!"

The Queen and Sir Robert were already running while Reynolds was at the end of the hall. We quickly followed the Doctor who went away, although I glanced at the Captain, who was going to die in the next second. I was torn between fleeing and saving the Captain. Reynolds turned suddenly as the wolf returned and he fell quickly to running. The Doctor shouted my name as he ran to me to take me by the hip and bring me into the room, safe; but I ducked under his arm as I ran to the captain and the wolf, wielding the knife in my hand.

I whistled heavily drawing the wolf's attention before he tore the captain and killed him. Time seemed to slow down all around me as I swung the blade toward the wolf and saw the wolf turn in the air before it pierced the wolf's flesh. The creature groaned in pain and seemed to retreat a few feet, which was enough for me to grab Reynolds' arm and pull him in the other direction. I quickly joined the Doctor and the rest, and he closed the door before it was barricaded by Sir Robert, Rose and Captain Reynolds.

I barely had time to breathe when I was grabbed and stuck to the Doctor's chest as he hugged me tightly. My whole body was shaking with effort and fear.

"Never do that again, never again." The Doctor whispered frantically to my ear.

"No promises..." I murmured in his chest, taking advantage of the comforting embrace.

Our embrace lasted not long, but long enough for Rose to glare at me outraged.

"You shouldn't have saved me, girl," the captain accused.

I turned to him.

"There is never enough men, and I doubt that Her Majesty wants to lose a faithful subject. Now, I saw a second door, is it locked?"

"Yes ..." replied Sir Robert in a whisper, before correcting himself quickly. " No!"

The men took the most furniture to block the door where the wolf grumbled. The room became silent as we listened to the wolf leave with the most horrible noises. I wiped my forehead with the black sleeve of my frock coat and suddenly regretted having put on an extra layer. The Queen's hands trembled frantically as she stiffened in horror at the sound of the wolf and the wood.

When the noises subsided to silence, Rose finally spoke and asked a good question.

"I don't understand. What stopped the wolf?"

"A simple wooden door didn't stop this creature before." Nodded the man in red.

I made a gesture to the Queen to take a chair, and she took the invitation to sit down. Sir Robert and I slumped in the remaining seats. I ran my shaking hands over my face, ignoring the worried look of the Doctor.

"There is something in this room, but I don't know. Why can't it get in?" Said the Doctor, trying to understand the mystery.

"I'll tell you what..." Rose began.

"What?"

"Werewolf!"

"I know!"

Rose laughed half as the annoyance and anger rose inside me when I saw her carelessness and rudeness. The Doctor asked Rose if she was okay and the blonde answered positively. Sir Robert suddenly apologized to the Queen, saying that it was his fault, and that he had tried to get the Queen to leave by suggesting that something was wrong with the manor, but that no one seemed to understand.

"Did you not notice the strange staff?"

"Well, they were bald and athletic," commented the Doctor without empathy. "Your wife was gone, I thought you were happy."

The anger went up even more, it was not the moment to make such a comment.

"I'll tell you something, ma'am, I think you're not amused."

"ROSE!" I barked suddenly, startling everyone to their amazement, including the Doctor. "Do you think it's time to be funny?! People have died outside, and Captain Reynolds would have been in the same condition if I hadn't saved him!"

Rose had the decency to look sorry as I yelled at her.

"Can someone, please tell me, what, exactly is that creature?" The Queen suddenly ordered.

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's no more a lupine wavelength haemovariform," answered the Doctor easily.

I clapped a hand on my face. Of course, the Doctor would explain with details and not just say it simple.

"And should I trust you, Sir? You, who change your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?"

"Oh, right... Sorry, that is..." tried to explain the Doctor by scratching his head

"I'll not have it. No, sir. Neither you, nor this thing, none of that! This is not my world."

"Your Majesty," Captain Reynolds intervened. "With your permission, I could get rid of these people."

I quickly turned pale and moved quickly in front of the Doctor, hand in the air ready to protest.

"You can't do that! Without us, you would be dead!"

"Let's talk about you, girl! You who dare to invade my lands with your rebellious revolutionary culture against the monarchy, by wearing an inappropriate outfit for a young girl who should be decent and carrying a knife, in addition! Who do you think you are?!" Demanded the Queen furiously.

"Young girl who should be decent?! I'm anything but a decent girl!" I hissed in contempt. "My rebellious and revolutionary culture and my handling of the knife saved a life tonight, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it again if necessary..." I added with a wicked smile.

Captain Reynolds took a step forward, protecting the Queen with her body and the Doctor put a hand on my shoulder, ready to pull me back at the slightest problem.

"Is it a threat?" Asked the Captain dangerously, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare..." I added sardonically with a smirk that would make me look like a fox. "This is just a simple word, don't take it as a fatal omen."

The Doctor's hand pulled me back firmly.

"Alvia, that's enough." He scolded harshly.

My furious gaze fixed on the Captain as well as the Queen turned to meet the serious look of the Doctor. His attitude cooled my mood a little bit and my lips were pinched in a grimace of discontent and I moved to get away from all, fixing everyone with a silent glare.

* * *

Sitting against the edge of the cold, closed window, I watched the moon climb into the sky as well as the shaven monks who guarded the Torchwood property. My anger had finally diminished, even if traces remained in me like hot embers ready to rekindle a fire. I glanced from time to time at the Doctor who was watching the room in every nook and cranny looking for a clue to save us and eliminate the threat that was the werewolf.

The Doctor was a few feet away from me, eyeing the books in the library, with Rose at his side. The Queen sat in an armchair at the back of the room after the earlier incident with her guard next to her and Sir Robert sitting in a chair a little further away.

I watched a monk suddenly roll his shoulders before putting his plant collar around his neck.

"These monks..." I said suddenly.

Most of the heads turned to me.

"They stand guard outside with a gun and sort of necklace made from plants and the wolf didn't attack them..."

The Doctor rushed to the window, narrowing his eyes to try to get a look at the shape of the plants and guess what it was. He turned his head suddenly before quickly heading for the wood carvings that the doors had.

"Mistletoe," he said, putting a hand on the engravings to feel every detail. "Is it your father who ordered the engravings, Sir Robert?"

"No idea," he replied sheepishly.

"I wonder if…?" Deduced the Doctor, observing the engravings.

Then, he suddenly licked the wooden door.

"Viscum album, mistletoe oil." The Doctor discovered, backing away. "It covers the wall like a varnish. Oh! Your father was clever!"

"What does that do?" Rose asked.

"Mistletoe is powerful, filled with lectins and viscotoxins," replied the Doctor.

"And the wolf is allergic to it?" Rose guessed.

"Well, it thinks it is. The monks needed a way to control it, maybe they conditioned it to react to certain things," added the Doctor

"Conditioning means tortured ..." I mumbled without being heard by anyone.

"Nevertheless, that creature won't stop in his quest, Doctor, and we still need a weapon to defend ourselves," replied Sir Robert.

"Oh, your father didn't give you his brain, did he?" Insulted the Doctor.

"Being rude again," Rose said.

"Well, I mean that one," the Doctor said honestly, turning to the library. "You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world!"

He took out his glasses and put it on his nose. He was definitely hotter with it, even though he did not need it and put it for style.

"This room's the greatest arsenal we could have," he added, taking out a few books from the shelf before throwing them at Rose who caught them. "Alvia, come help us too. Arm yourself."

I hummed and focused on the books at the bottom and at my waist. All except the Queen and her guard began searching for any clue in the books, speaking aloud. I kept silent, turning the pages quickly but carefully and keeping the books open to a certain page when a word, a title or an entire paragraph could help us. The unrelated books were quickly closed and crammed into several slightly wobbly piles.

I was turning the pages of a book when I found a familiar illustration.

"I found something!" I suddenly called, drawing the attention of the Doctor and Sir Robert. "In the year of our Lord, 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit." I read.

"But that's the Glen of Saint Catherine, next to the monastery," remarked the noble

"And what you thought was a simple meteorite could have been a spaceship," I added, looking at him.

"But it was over a hundred years ago, why wait?" Asked Rose confused as she approached, books cradled in her arms.

"Maybe just only one cell survived," deducted the Doctor. "Adapting slowly to each generation, surviving through humans, host after host after host."

"Boys disappearing with each generation..." I breathed in horror.

"But why does it want the throne?" Asked the nobleman.

"That's what it wants," Rose intervened, remembering something. "He said 'the Empire of the Wolf'."

"Imagine it, the Victorian era accelerated… Starships and missiles fuelled by coal and driven by steam, leaving history devastated in its wake," said the Doctor, with foreboding.

The Queen stood up suddenly.

"Sir Robert, Captain Reynolds. If I have to die here..."

"Don't say that, Your Majesty..." the two men said at once.

"I would destroy myself rather than let this creature infect me, but it doesn't matter. I ask you to find a safe place for something far older and more precious than myself."

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor emitted impolitely.

I hit the back of the Doctor's head and gave me a little "Oi!" Shaking my head in spite, sometimes his rudeness was just unbearable.

"Thank you for your opinion," the Queen added without losing face. "But there is nothing more valuable than this."

And the Queen pulled out of her bag a huge diamond that was the size of her palm. This diamond shone a thousand lights and I conceded that it was beautiful despite the fact that diamonds were not my favourite stone.

"Your Majesty, do you think it is a good idea to show them your property?" The Captain snapped.

Queen Victoria did not deign to give an answer. On the other hand, Rose and the Doctor were suddenly attracted to the diamond as he advanced slowly, eyes wide open in astonishment and disbelief at the sight of the stone.

"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" Rose asked in a whisper, amazed, the books still in her arms.

"The most beautiful diamond in the world." The Doctor commented passionately.

I raised an eyebrow at the admiration they all showed for diamonds. How can you be so passionate about a diamond? Of course, it was the most expensive stone and the most solid, but it had no colors and it was so classic as stone. I mean, there was much more beautiful precious stones: amethyst, alexandrite, amber...

"It was given to me as spoils of war," said the Queen. "Perhaps its legend becomes true. It is said that whoever possesses it must surely die."

"Well, that's true anyway, if you wait long enough." The Doctor refuted before reaching out to hold the diamond. "May I …?"

The Queen's first instinct was to move the diamond out of the Doctor's reach as he reached out, then after a short pause the Queen gave the diamond to the Doctor. I closed the books and picked them up and put them on the desk. I wanted to tidy up the books as needed on the shelves, but now was not the time. Glancing at the Doctor, I saw that he had pushed his glasses to observe the diamond more closely. As I thought, he did not originally need glasses. The man could surely see colors that we humans were unable to detect, and he could notice the slightest details about a person, but he decided to wear glasses... Sometimes I did not understand him...

He discussed the price of the diamond, knowing that it cost about the wages of the planet for a whole week and they made a joke about Jackie, which I confessed without shame was a little truthful. I let out an amused snort when the Doctor suddenly turned his head towards me.

"What do you think of the diamond, Alvia? Beautiful, don't you think?"

"Meh," I said as a single answer, shrugging my shoulders and finishing placing the last books that were previously on the floor.

"Where is the wolf?" Captain Reynolds asked suddenly. "This silence doesn't bode well."

"It's too quiet," Sir Robert confirmed as he moved around the room.

I narrowed my eyes trying to remember the details of the episode. The inconvenience of having locked up my memories behind an armoured door in my own mind was that it was hard to be able to access it myself. I had defended too much of my own knowledge. Fortunately, with a little concentration, I managed to move in my mind and sneak between the chains and the heavy doors that kept my knowledge. Opening my eyes, which I did not know I had closed and moving my hands which had taken the pose of concentration like Sherlock in the series. I leaned against the desk, hands firmly gripping the wooden ledge while my gaze was fixed on the group with the diamond. My eyes slid to the ceiling before I raised my chin to silently observe the glass ceiling where the werewolf will appear.

While I silently observed the starry sky, I listened attentively to the words of the Doctor as well as those of the Queen.

"Why are you traveling with such a precious property?" Asked the Doctor, not taking his eyes off the diamond.

"My annual pilgrimage. I bring it to Hellier and Carew, the Royal Jeweller at Hazlehead. The stone needs recutting."

"Oh, but it's perfect." Rose lamented sadly.

"My late husband never thought so."

"Now there's a fact." The Doctor said, removing his glasses. "Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. The diamond used to be forty percent bigger than this, but he was never satisfied. Kept on cutting again and again."

"He always said the shine was not right," the Queen confessed with a touch of nostalgia. "But he died with this still unfinished."

_Penny in the air._

As I looked at the ceiling as it seemed that a part was shaking and that the dust was falling. Had I dreamed it? I had a lot of suspicions that the wolf wasn't going to be long before appearing...

"Doctor?" I called quietly.

But he ignored my call as he repeated the last words of the Queen, connecting all the points between them. I saw him throw the diamond at the Queen, who was clearly shocked at this action, and spoke quickly and frantically then ashe was making his deductions aloud. The dust fell again while the ceiling was still shaking. The wolf was definitely there.

"A lot of things are unfinished in this house. His father's research and your husband, Ma'am. He came here and was looking for the perfect diamond. Hold on, hold on!" The Doctor frantically realized, ruffling his hair violently. "All these separate things, which are not separate at all, they're connected. Oh, my head, my head!"

"Doctor," I called again as a shadow spread across the window.

"Not now, Alvia! What if this house ... It's a trap for you, isn't it, Ma'am?"

"Obviously."

"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But! What if there's a trap in the trap?"

"Explain yourself, Doctor."

"Doctor, I think you should listen to me," I implored with a slight trembling in the voice as the ceiling shade grew bigger and bigger.

Everyone listened to the Doctor and did not seem to care, even Captain Reynolds.

"What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories? They dared to imagine all this was true and organized themselves against it. Laying the real trap not for you… but for the wolf."

"DOCTOR!" I screamed suddenly as I saw the wolf appear.

"What?!" He asks with a hint of annoyance.

_And the penny drops._

I just pointed at the ceiling for a few seconds before rushing to a door to clear the way.

"That wolf there ..." said the Doctor.

Thanks to Captain Reynolds' military reflex and my lead, the door was released earlier, and we were able to escape before the window broke. And as the Doctor was about to close the door, his idea was taken up by the Captain, who looked solemn.

"I'm saving you time, RUN!" He ordered, shutting himself out with the wolf.

"NO!" I exclaimed before going to gesture to the man in the red outfit.

But I don't do much anymore because the Doctor grabbed my wrist and pulled me in his run, while our heavy running steps hammered the dark wood. I heard with horror and sorrow the screams of pain of Reynolds who had just given his life to save time. And the door that had held the wolf didn't last long because a few seconds after the end of the choking howls, there was the sound of destroyed wood. We were running towards the observatory, the wolf's footsteps getting louder as it got closer. My ribs hurt and as I saw the shadow of the wolf grow behind the Doctor's back. Rose screamed our names and I closed my eyes when I saw the shadow of the huge jaw and felt the warm, smelly breath of the wolf. The fangs that would rip my flesh with disconcerting ease never came—my heels slammed against the ground as the sound of a spilled liquid and a groan of pain was heard.

Opening my eyes, I saw Sir Robert's wife and his chambermaids, the Doctor had backed away to see where the wolf was and immediately came back to urge us to run and take shelter in the observatory. The couple kissed and we were back in the race. Sir Robert walked by to lead us into the specific room, and we climbed the stairs again. In addition to my aching ribs, my legs cried out for mercy and my lungs prayed for air.

Finally arriving at the observatory, the Doctor notes that the doors have not been covered with oil.

"Your father wanted the wolf to go inside! I just need time, is there a way to barricade the door?!"

"We'll do it!" Indicated Sir Robert and myself.

"A rope or anything would do the trick!" Continued the Doctor, seeming to ignore me.

"Doctor! I said we would do it; I'll give you time."

"What? No! You stay here, Alvia!" The Doctor hissed in panic as he understood what I had just said.

"I make my own decisions!" I hissed coldly.

"Not when it comes to risking your life!" He exclaimed.

"There's no more time to debate, get to work!" I finished, ending the conversation.

And before the Doctor could catch me, I pulled Sir Robert out of the observatory and closed the doors before leaning on them. Sir Robert grabbed the two sabers from the wall and gave me one.

"Do you know how to use it?" He asked, gripping the handle of the weapon firmly.

"First lesson: Stick them with the pointy end." I added with a slight hint of humor.

My fingers wrapped themselves around the rough, yet smooth handle. My muscles tensed to make the slightest movement and I placed my foot in a good position to move quickly, while my ears caught the grunt of the wolf, which was becoming stronger and cleaner. A bead of sweat ran from my temple and rolled down my neck and I did everything to keep my calm and concentrate. As soon as the wolf was in my field of vision, I suddenly thought it was a very bad idea, but it was too late to go back. _Let me be brave._

"I've committed treason for you. My wife will remember me with honour!" Sir Robert monopolized as he walked towards the wolf, ready to swing his blade.

Sir Robert barely had time to make a single cut before the wolf was ready to devour the man. But I managed to push the wolf back a little bit by swinging the tip of my sword right at his chest. Then Sir Robert followed up with a deadly dance against the wolf. It is with incredible luck that we manage to counter and survive the chaotic and unpredictable attacks of the creature. But luck did not last long and Sir Robert was violently sidelined as he took a scratch and smoothly hit the wall and fell to the floor like a rag doll. I was now alone in front of the wolf and I prayed for time itself to be able to survive.

The wolf growled at me, folding back on himself, ready to pounce on me to devour me. And deep inside me, the fury flowed through my veins as a wicked and evil smile grew on my lips—a smile that showed my canines and made them shine in the light of moons and candles. The doors were behind me and I had no idea if they were ready in the observatory.

"Allez viens, viens voir maman… " I murmured mockingly in my native language. "Allez viens, viens je t'attend…"

The wolf threw himself at me and I ducked under his attack, barely missing the fangs and claws of the beast as he dipped directly into the wooden doors which he initially aimed at my body. The doors dislodge under its weight and the violence of the impact and a few seconds later a beam of light striked the creature. And while I guess it was the work of the machine designed to kill the wolf, I ran to Sir Robert's still body, crouched down and dropped the blade to plunge my fingers to his neck and fumble for the search. A pulse. It was with joy and relief that I saw that the man had survived and that he was only stunned and probably had a concussion. Sighing in relief, I backed away until my back hit the wall and my legs gave way and I slid against the floor—the muscles and my forces completely giving up.

I breathed deeply and dared to close my eyes when I heard someone running towards me. Hands grabbed my cheeks, and I opened my eyes to see the Doctor crouching in front of me, eyes filled with fear, worry and relief.

"Are you okay?!" He asked quickly. "Did the wolf bite you?!"

"He hasn't had the opportunity, Doctor."

He breathed with relief and pulled me into a strong embrace. His arms wrapped around my waist and my shoulders while my hands went behind his back, his head against mine.

"Never do that again, Alvia..." the Doctor implored in my ear.

I took a deep breath, breathing in his smell and the smell of his suit before I turned my head slightly towards him and hummed softly. It was neither an assertion nor a refusal. Moments later, the Doctor withdrew from the reluctant embrace as Rose and the Queen came to join us. The monarch saw Sir Robert's body in horror and went to make her own deductions before I intervened.

"He's alive Your Majesty, unconscious but alive."

The tension in her shoulders eased and she thanked me warmly.

"Then I must thank you for saving me and saving Sir Robert," she said thankfully.

I took what she gave me, nodding before talking again.

"There are still monks outside, we must also warn the rest of the manor that the threat is gone."

And as soon as I finished speaking, a few guards, accompanied by Sir Robert's wife and two maids, rushed towards us. Lady Isobel, seeing her husband on the ground, froze.

"Your Majesty!" Exclaimed one of the guards. "We are terribly sorry and horrified to hear what is going on, the monks are gone, but where is the creature?"

"The Doctor and his companions took care of it. There is nothing more to fear. I recommend that you take Sir Robert to the nearest doctor, he should receive treatment as soon as possible. His unconscious state may be reassuring but it can be just as alarming."

The guards obeyed the Queen and took Sir Robert away, followed by Lady Isobel. Only one guard remained, as did the maid.

"As for you," she said, turning to me and the Doctor. "Rest and enjoy the rest of the night and the morning. You are summoned tomorrow after lunch."

The Doctor tilted his head slightly.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

And the Queen leaves with her guard and one of the two maids. The one who remained, began to smile while looking at Rose.

"Thank you very much," thanked the young woman.

"I told you so, Flora. That everything would go well!" Rose commented with a tired, satisfied smile.

"Let me show you to your rooms, getting lost in the mansion is the last thing you want," chuckled the brunette gently.

We smiled, the three of us tired and followed her as she led us to our rooms. It was with joy that I got rid of my shoes and my jacket, waistcoat and pants. And I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the cushion, enjoying a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day, in spite of the pain in our muscles and the tiredness visible on our faces, the Doctor, Rose and myself rejoint the Queen in a large room where were all the guards and servants as well as the masters of the house waited. After a discussion with the Queen, she wanted to meet the Doctor and Rose. I received no title because I refused them—the French part of my being was indignant at the idea of receiving a title when the monarchy had long been abandoned in my country.

Rose and the Doctor were bowed while Queen Victoria dubbed the Doctor first, saber in hand and hand bandaged.

"By the powers invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Sir Doctor of TARDIS." The Queen said before touching Rose's shoulders with the tips of the blade. "By the powers invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Dame Rose of the Powell Estate. You may stand."

The Doctor thanked the Queen warmly as Rose made a comment about her friends who would not believe that fact. Just as few believe in the fact that she traveled in time and space without evidence—evidence she was very reluctant to give, wanting to keep the Doctor's secret for herself.

"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving messages from the great beyond. I think your husband cut this diamond to save your life. He protects you even now, madam, even from beyond the grave..."

"Indeed. You must also think on this: that _I am not amused_."

As the Doctor moaned and Rose looked jubilant, as I rolled their eyes at their expressions. Now was not the time to celebrate their bets.

"Not remotely amused. And henceforth, I banish you."

It took the doctor a few seconds to understand the Queen's statement.

"I'm sorry?"

"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor, and now you are exiled from the Empire never to return. You three."

I blinked silently, why am I included? Why?!

"I don't know what you are or where you come from, but I know that you consort with stars and magic and think it fun. But your world is full of terror, blasphemy and death, and I will not allow it! You will leave these shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you managed to stray so far from all that is good. And how much longer you will survive this... Terrible life."

The Queen stepped away angrily.

"Leave my world, and never return," she ordered.

Rose and the Doctor nodded muttering as I moved my head when Queen Victoria's glare fell on me. I gave the Doctor the coat he had asked me to keep during the dubbing and we walked silently towards the exit. As the Doctor and Rose walked towards the courtyard, Sir Robert, his head bandaged, ran with his wife to me, calling me. I stopped at the door with a glance at the duo who did not seem to want to stop.

"Thank you, Alvia Saxon for helping to save my husband," Lady Isobel began.

A sweet smile grew on my lips.

"It's nothing, and it was the right thing to do."

"The Queen told us of her desire to create an Institute against phenomena like those of last night and made you and your companions, enemy number one," informed the nobleman, glancing behind him to see if we were being listened to. "But, know one thing Alvia, the Torchwood Institute will be forever in your debt and if one day you should find a refuge, we would be happy to have you here," he added solemnly.

I thanked the couple and said goodbye to them before leaving to join Rose and the Doctor who had finally understood that I was not with them. I took a last look at the couple who ran the Torchwood estate and joined the duo to return to the Tardis, who was alone in the Scottish countryside.

During our walk, we managed to find a farmer who kindly agreed to lead us all the way until we found the TARDIS.

From then on, we walked quietly, headwind, to return inside the magnificent time vessel.

"You know, funny thing about Queen Victoria is that she did suffer from a blood mutation," continued the Doctor in his story about Queen Victoria. "It is historic, she was haemophiliac. Called it the Royal Disease. But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it, her dad didn't have it. It came from nowhere!"

"What, you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Asked Rose.

The Doctor answered quietly and the two theorized on the possibility that the English Royal family could be, at present, werewolves. During this time, I reflected again and again on what Sir Robert had said to me on the doorstep of the Torchwood Manor. The Queen had the idea to create Torchwood and we were the priority enemies of the institute. So far nothing very shocking. But the fact that Robert had said that Torchwood would always be indebted to me and that Torchwood would welcome me if I needed it—that was terrifying. After that, maybe Torchwood had never looked for me during the time I lived with Jackie though that didn't make me believe they wouldn't have noticed. They noticed a lot of things.

The Doctor and Rose could still be ignorant of Torchwood and enjoy the joy of travel. He could ignore the first pressings of the coming storm that threatened to tear into our lives, but now... I was warned, and I would meticulously watch the progress of the storm so that the day when everything broke out, I would be ready. Because I would be. I wouldn't let Torchwood destroy the life I had built in this world.


	19. Day in TARDIS - After Tooth and Claw

**Hey Guys!**

**I've nothing else to say than: new chapter,**

** enjoy!**

* * *

After being chased by and beaten by a werewolf and banished from England by Queen Victoria, a day of rest was mandatory and necessary.

As my bath had been shortened the day before, I took another one and this time I took my time as much as possible to take care of myself and rest. Body care, hair care, face care; I felt like I was reviving and had new skin. I relaxed in the hot, soapy water; arms outstretched to avoid slipping into the tub. It was when I felt sleepy in the bathtub, despite the music, that it was time to get out of the water.

After wiping my body with a towel and putting on pyjamas and a robe, I went back to my room, hair wrapped in a towel. Passing in front of the mirror I giggled at my outfit. My pyjamas were simply blue / gray striped stockings and a gray t-shirt with short sleeves and a round neck. It was the dressing gown that amused me. It looked like a replica of the blue dressing gown that Sherlock wore in the series.

About an hour later, I left my room to head for the observatory, book, phone and headphones in my hands, and skin smooth and soft like a baby's and smelling of moisturizer.

When I opened the observatory door, I saw that the room was not occupied. I had no idea where Rose and the Doctor were. I walked over to one of the blue velvet armchairs and sat down looking for the best position to read. After finding it and successfully broadcasting my music around the room with the help of Sexy; I started reading the first chapter. I rubbed my eyes and wished I hadn't lost my glasses. Suddenly something fell on my books making me jump in surprise. After having calmed my pounding heart I could see what had fallen on my book. It was a pair of glasses. The pair with a very thin frame in gold metal and the lenses were large and round.

When trying on the pair, the vision of the room became much sharper than when I was not wearing them, it was perfectly adapted to my vision. By removing the glasses and observing them a little closer I could see that the glass was not completely transparent and were slightly tinted. I assumed that the glasses had a treatment for the lenses other than being slightly tinted. I thanked the Tardis for the glasses which were very useful to me and I went back to my reading, which had become much more pleasant with the glasses. I had in my hands one of the novels belonging to the records of Terry Pratchett's World Records.

I don't know how long I'd been reading, but I was almost done with my book when the observatory door opened quietly. I only glanced at the door to see that it was the doctor before I returned to my reading. He was not wearing his suit jacket or tie and also had a book to read, and he settled down on the full length of the sofa after removing his converse.

After I finished my book, I slightly regretted not having taken another one. Instead I stretched my legs after crossing them for a while, my knees slightly sore. I enjoyed the music in silence before I started to watch the Doctor quietly reading his book. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, the glasses on his nose and his hair slightly ruffled. As if he had styled them but a flurry had defeated his work and now only a few strands fell on his forehead. After watching the Doctor for a while, enjoying the calm and the music, I decided to watch the space above me. The galaxies, stars and planets were different from the last time but just as beautiful as the previous show. And during my observation I unconsciously tapped a rhythm with my fingers on the armrest of the armchair which went perfectly with the music broadcast: ballad n ° 1 in G minor op 23 by Chopin, played in the anime 'Your Lie in April'.

At the end of the music, the Doctor closed his book, having put a bookmark where he had stopped and placed the book on the coffee table next to him. He crossed his hands and put them on his abdomen and observed the sky in turn. I repositioned myself in the chair, bringing my legs and feet back to the heat source that was my body and the chair. As Saint-Saëns' introduction and rondo capriccioso in A minor calmly played my stomach began to rumble softly, telling me that I had to eat. The gurgling was not very loud, but the Doctor seemed to hear it as he turned his head towards me, an amused smile on his lips and arched eyebrows. I blushed.

"No comment," I warned him, looking falsely bossy.

"I wasn't going to say anything!" Defended the Doctor, raising his hands.

"No, but you may have thought so and your face said it all."

The Doctor said nothing but gave me a cheeky smile.

"So," I said, clasping my hands together in a pose similar to what Sherlock was doing. "I think I'm going to cook."

I thought about what I wanted to eat, and a recipe came to my mind.

"I know what I'm going to cook. I'm going to make carbonara pasta."

"Why cook when I can take you to Rome?" Asked the Doctor indignantly. "You have access to all the restaurants existing in time and space and you choose to cook by yourself."

"Sometimes the food served by the restaurants do not exceed home cooking, and it is a recipe that my family made that I want to make. There are some changes compared to the original recipe." I explained as I got up from the chair and stretched.

The Doctor groaned but didn't seem to want to argue with me. Just before I left the observatory, I turned to him.

"Do you want to help me cook?" I offered gently. "Can you even cook in this body?" I added with a mischievous, laughing smile.

"No idea," admitted the Doctor, shrugging. "I guess you have to find out."

"We can set rule; whether you must be forbidden to touch kitchen utensils or not." I laughed.

"Oi! No one will stop me from doing anything in my TARDIS."

I just laughed.

"See you in ten minutes in the kitchen?" I asked, wiping away a tear of laughter.

"Deal." Agreed the Doctor.

I smiled at him and went back to my room to put my book down and then headed for the kitchen. I looked for and took out the ingredients as well as the cooking utensils I needed: pasta, fresh cream, onion, bacon, egg and cheese. I first cooked the pasta water and by the time I pulled out the cutting board the Doctor finally arrived.

"What can I do?" He asked as he settled down next to me.

"You can prepare the onion. Peel it before cutting it in half, and cut it into slices," I said pushing the board, the knife and the onion towards him.

I put in the frying pan on the stove fires and quickly the smell of cooking meat perfumed the kitchen. A few minutes later I put the pasta in the water and activated the timer.

"Do you know I could have been the timer? Time Lord, me," he said, cutting the onions into thin slices.

"Take care of the onion instead of watching me, I don't want blood in my food," I said turning my index finger in his direction.

I then proceeded to grate the cheese while monitoring the cooking of the bacon and as soon as the Doctor had finished slicing the onions, I took them and added them to the meat.

"Take care of the egg now. I only want the yolk which you will put in this small container," I added while pointing to the small terracotta ramekin while mixing the bacon and onions in the pan.

While the Doctor got down to work, I finally added the cream to the cooking mixture. I gently stirred the white matter with a wooden spoon while it became liquid with heat. My phone alerted me a few minutes later that the pasta was finished leathering and I let the Doctor take care of it to remove all the water. Then, he went to set the table while I mixed all the ingredients together, first the pasta and the side dish with the sauce, then the egg yolk and finally the cheese. I was just finishing mixing when Rose suddenly came into the kitchen.

"It smells pretty good," she said, sniffing the smell, eyes closed.

"I made carbonara pasta, do you want a Rose plate?" I asked, placing the pan on the trivet on the kitchen table.

"I don't mind," she accepted. "I'm starving."

The Doctor went to get new cutlery and I served everyone. I watched the Doctor and Rose ate their first bite.

"It's delicious, Alvia!" Congratulated the Doctor, taking another bite.

Rose confirmed by shaking her head when her mouth was full, and I told them that I was happy that they found the dish delicious before I started eating myself. At the end of the meal, I leaned back in my chair, placing a hand on my stomach full of food, sated. I let out a sigh of satisfaction as Rose moaned that she couldn't swallow anything, not even a dessert.

"I admit, a homemade dish is better than a restaurant dish," conceded the Doctor, leaning on his fist.

"You see, I was right."

"Nothing beats the power of cooking done with love," Rose said. "Although, I still have no idea who this Love is," added Rose in a poor joke.

But I still let out a laugh.

"Just as I still don't know who Moderation is. He's always there when you need to drink." I joked, winking.

Rose left in a laugh and I quickly joined her; the Doctor shaking his head at the level of jokes we were making. I liked this atmosphere; it was something that I enjoyed most with the kitchen. The room was a place of neutrality and conviviality.


	20. School Reunion

HI PEOPLE! finally a new chapter !

I started it as soon as I finished the last chapter, but I took a long break and I finally resumed writing.

For geographic and copyright reasons, know that I'm not watching the new season of Doctor Who which is currently being broadcast, like you.

In France we didn't have the rights to broadcast (which is very sad) and we cannot watch the bbc (replay or not) without a good VPN. And I have so much to do than break my head to watch the new season that I prefer to wait for.

Fortunately, I have a friend who gives me the episodes. and I just finished the first episode today.

**ATTENTION SPOILERS for those who have not yet seen it ******

Damn, I expected so not the return of the Master ! I am so happy that he is not dead!

I was also completely surprised by the choice of actor (I have nothing against him, he has charm even if I prefer John Simm), but damn he looks so much like my friend! (the one who gives me the episodes!)

Also, I started a new story. in The Witcher's fandom.

I loved the series (Henry Cavill is in my top 3 favorite American actors), I am playing The Witcher Wild Hunt games that I have at Christmas with the DLC, and I save to buy the literary saga .

Also bis,

from January 31th to March 9th I would be on vacation, which means that I could go a long way in writing my stories (or not). And I've just started the writting of the next chapter.

You'll see anyway, ENJOY!

* * *

Travel mug filled with tea in hand, shoulder bag on the shoulder and heap of leaves in my arms, I quickly walked down the hall in a very specific direction. I nodded my head to the teachers who did the same. The hallways were filled with students chatting with each other, talking about what they had done or seen the old woman after school. I entered the room which was gradually filling with students. I settled at my table, placing my mug on the light and worn wood and putting my bag on the desk to take out a notebook and a case. The bell rang, and the children went to their seats to sit in silence, waiting for their teacher.

"_Bonjour, tout le monde. J'espère que vous avez fait vos travaux parce que je ramasse._" I greeted with a mischievous smile.

* * *

" … J'espère on peut garder le contact!"

"J'espère que nous pourrons garder le contact, Brown." I corrected. "You have still forgotten the relative pronoun, for you it may seem like an oversight, but in France if you forget it when you say something you will pass for an idiot. "

"Sorry, miss," said the blonde girl, sitting on her chair.

"It doesn't matter, you'll do better next time. I fully understand that French is extremely complicated for you children, there are so many rules and so many ways to conjugate verbs. Know that even I am sometimes wrong. A large part of French people including myself still make mistakes in French. Mistakes that are less noticeable than the one you made. French language is a complex and ancient language which has existed for centuries and which has evolved, but English is a young language which has its roots in German and French," I taught, writing the lesson on the blackboard. "Vous ferez des fautes, tout le monde fait des fautes mais il faut apprendre de vos erreurs pour ne plus les refaire ensuite. Vous comprenez?"

The bell rang and as the students moved to put their things away I called out to them.

"Attendez une minute! Vous pensez partir sans noter le travail à faire? Je sais que ce n'est amusant mais vous êtes ici pour travailler."

The students groaned and took a pen to write down the work to be done.

"Pour le prochain cours, je veux que vous me fassiez des recherches sur les fables de Jean de Lafontaine et ses fables les plus connue, nous allons travailler sur ces textes au niveau de l'écriture et de votre oral," I said, noting the name on the board. "Bon appétit tout le monde!"

The students answered the same thing and quickly left the classroom to go to the self. I put my things away and brought them to the teachers' room and then joined a particular teacher at the self. I took my tray and went to get the food, not forgetting to take a fruit. When I received my hot dish, I met Rose's dark eyes and offered her a sheepish smile before leaving with my tray and joining the Doctor at an empty table.

"Doctor," I greeted

"Alvia, it's so good to see you. How was your morning?"

"I understand now how irritating the students could be. My second class was horrible, all this chatter ... I think I'm starting to get a headache," I moaned.

"And at the school level?"

"Their accent is horrible, but I think it's something universal, some people forget words in their sentences, but I noticed one or two students who despite their horrible accent had no mistakes, like the written. They're the same ones who corrected me when I made a mistake that I didn't even know it existed. It's impossible to know French as well at their age, even when I was young I hadn't learned everything yet."

"I had a student who had much more advanced knowledge than he should have."

"Let me guess, the child who has knowledge superior to human knowledge?"

"Yup, his name was Milo."

"I got him at the second hour. He was the one who corrected me and taught me a rule on the French language," I grumbled, viciously destroying my fried fish. "I still can't believe I've been corrected by a British kid. "

I ate the fish, leaving the fries aside and the slimy thing Rose had served me earlier, no matter how good it was, I absolutely didn't trust the texture and the color of this thing. Quickly I finished my fish and I attacked my apple by biting into it. Rose arrived with the excuse of cleaning the table.

"2 days," she hissed badly.

"Sorry, could you just ... There's a bit of gravy," he said pointing his fork towards a mess far too close to my elbow.

I quickly removed my elbow from the table and Rose wiped the table but couldn't find the right mess.

"No, no. Just there."

"Two days that we've been here," added Rose, finally wiping away the stain.

"Blame your boyfriend. He's the one who put us on this one. But he was right, this morning a boy had knowledge beyond human knowledge."

"Are you eating your chips?" Cut Rose.

I raised my eyebrow, it's amazing how Rose still surprised me by proving her sense of priorities.

"No, they are a bit ... Different."

Rose pricked one of the fries from the Doctor's tray before eating it.

"Oh god, they're gorgeous. If only I had had such a canteen... " Rose sighed as she sat down.

"Serving kids fries is clearly not healthy for them, no matter what kids think," I assured calmly, finishing my apple.

"And it's very calm here ..." remarked the Doctor.

"Too calm," I confirmed. "I feel like I am in a church. This isn't at all how a canteen full of children should be at noise level."

"I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy-slapping hoodies with asbos. Happy-slapping hoodies with asbos and ringtones," added the Doctor, looking at us in an impressive way. "Yeah? Yeah Don't tell me I don't fit in."

I held a giggle behind my hand as my shoulders trembled with laughter and I leaned over the table. Oh Doctor… how adorable you are…

A shadow covered my body as a harsh voice spoke to Rose.

"You are not allowed to leave your post during a sitting."

"I was just talking to these teachers," Rose explained to justify herself. "They don't like the chips. "

"The menu has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance," recited the lady with an insulted look. "Now get back to work," she finished before leaving.

"Well, someone clearly didn't meet a dietitian for feeding children," I commented as Rose returned to her post sharing one last joke with the Doctor.

I looked at my watch while my stomach grunted softly. Behind me, one of my teacher colleagues went to speak to a group of students, I could only catch the words catch-up lessons.

"I still have a little over an hour before I go back to school, and I'm still hungry."

"I guess we can get something to eat outside," conceded the Doctor, looking at his tray with a slight disgust.

"I seem to have seen a small restaurant not far from the school, are we going?" I asked, getting up before taking my tray.

" After you," he said, making a gallant gesture.

I giggled, and we emptied and set down our trays before leaving the canteen to pick up our things in the teachers' room before leaving the school grounds to head to the restaurant. It was a small Italian restaurant and the good smell of pizza floated down to us. While we were waiting for our orders, a waiter placed a small vase with a red rose inside and winked at us. The Doctor and I exchanged a glance before turning our eyes in an opposite direction, with red cheeks.

"Fortunately, you found me a place as a teacher," I started to distract us. "I certainly couldn't bear to be a student at this school."

"You didn't like school?" Asked the Doctor curiously.

"Oh yes, I liked school. I'm just saying that in this particular school I don't think I would have liked it."

"Oh ... You know what's going on," guessed the Doctor.

"It's not that bad, even if it happens in a school. And in addition, you'll have a good surprise."

"Really?" Asked the Doctor, wanting to know more. "What's that?"

"Even if I think I can tell you, I wouldn't, Doctor. I don't want to spoil your surprise," I teased gently.

"Oh, now that's not fair!"

I laugh. And while the meal was going on quietly, despite the Doctor's attempts to find out the surprise, we were not late in returning, after all we had a two-hour break before classes started again. When we returned to the school, walking side by side, we received curious looks and childish chuckles from the students. They hurried to whisper to their friends; if we had no rumours about the two of us before that was no longer the case now. The Doctor opened the teachers' room and we quietly chatted with the rest of the non-hostile and human teachers present in the room. I was putting my papers away when one of the teachers said that one of his students had successfully given me the exact height of the Trojan walls in cubits; the Doctor taking the opportunity to question the professor about any changes in the establishment and collect the most information.

"Excuse me, dear colleagues. Just a moment," said the Headmaster as he entered the room, followed by someone.

I felt a loving smile filled with excitement as I saw Sarah-Jane Smith enter the room. What I would have given to meet the actress who played her role in my old world, just like some actors elsewhere ... What a pity that she died ...

"May I introduce Miss Sarah-Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist, she writes my portrait for the Sunday Times I thought it might be useful for her to get 'a view from the trenches', so to speak. Don't spare my blushes."

The Headmaster walked out of the room and as I glanced over at the Doctor who had a childlike, totally happy smile growing on his lips, Sarah-Jane approached us.

"Hello!"

I subtly hit the Doctor to get him to his senses and I responded in his place by holding out my hand.

"Hello, Miss Smith. Nice to meet you!" I greeted cheerfully.

"Likewise," she replied gently. "And you are?"

"Alvia Saxon and that nitwit right here is John Smith." I introduced myself before gently pushing the Doctor's shoulder, showing our friendship to Sarah-Jane.

"John Smith? I had a friend who used this name sometimes, and despite the fact that it is a common name he was an unusual man," she said with a slight nostalgia. "And Miss Saxon ..."

"Call me Alvia. "

"May I ask you if you have any link with the Minister of Defense, Harold Saxon?"

To say that I forgot that the Master was already there on Earth was an understatement. Damn, I knew that the Master had spent a little over a year on Earth before the year that never took place, but I had not considered, I had not imagined the fact that he had really lived in this period. This meant that the Master was already monitoring the Doctor's actions and gestures.

"No. No link," I replied with a slightly tighter smile and a slight coolness in my voice, which I hoped would not be noticed.

"So, you've been working here for a long time?" Sarah-Jane finally asked.

"Oh no," replied the Doctor. "This is only our second day. "

"Oh, you're new then? What do you think of this school? This new program, so many sick children. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

The Doctor who had not taken his eyes off her, smiled at her, but she didn't seem to notice him or his joy which covered him like an aura.

"You seem to be writing more than a portrait," he said, leaning forward slightly.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to investigate while I'm there. She conceded before leaving to meet the other teachers.

"No, good for you. Good for you," he repeated with an even bigger smile. "Oh, good for you, Sarah-Jane Smith."

"Happy with this surprise?" I asked suddenly with a slight satisfied smile but filled with joy.

He suddenly turned to me, hugging me tightly.

"Oh, and what a surprise!" He said, his face close to mine. "Alvia, I could kiss you."

"I don't say no," I teased with humor before withdrawing from his embrace. "But I'm afraid to tell you that it will have to be later, I still have classes, this afternoon."

I gave him a wink and went to collect my things while the first bell rang, and after checking that no one else in the room had their attention turned to us, I grabbed the Doctor's hand to pull him towards me and I kissed his cheek,leaving with a laugh in my throat as the Doctor's face turned red. The rest of the day seemed to go on quietly despite the fact that it was a Thursday afternoon.

And it is with joy that I welcomed the end of the lessons. We rested before infiltrating school at night with Mickey as a bonus. When we got to the main hallway Rose made a comment about the teachers living in the school.

"Okay, team ... Oh I hate people who say team. Uh, gang. Arf ... Comrades."

"Fam?" I added in an imitation of Jodie as Doctor, clearly amused. "Better than comrades, that makes a little Communist, don't you think?"

"Oh whatever..." said the Doctor. "Rose, go to the kitchen, take a sample of this oil. Mickey, the new ones are math teachers, check their departments. Alvia, take care of the teachers' room. I'm going to check into Finch's office. Come back here in ten minutes!" He declared before taking off for the stairs.

"Gotcha!"

And I went towards the teachers' room, luckily, I had the key with me and I unlocked the door before entering the code to open the door. Inside everything was dark and I could barely see anything without light, so I lowered the curtain from the door window and took out my phone to turn on the lamp and light the room. I started to search the tables used by math teachers before focusing on their lockers instead. With a hairpin I concentrated on opening one of the lockers. I was, I think, almost finished when a high-pitched cry rang out, making me jump with fear and surprise.

Not giving up now, I ended up unlocking the locker I came to search, finding nothing strange or any clue, only math lessons. I then closed the locker and quickly left the teachers' room before heading to the math department, where Mickey and the others were probably. When I got there, it was to see the Doctor making fun of Mickey by comparing him with the picture of a little schoolgirl girl and Rose asking questions about the vacuum rats spread out on the ground.

"Rats in school?"

"I would have said that rats were used in dissection, but they are in the math department, not science department. The question we have to ask ourselves is, why the rats are here and not in their real places?" I asked suddenly, stepping out of the shadows, my hands in the pockets of my frock coat.

They jumped at my appearance, Mickey letting out another cry of fright but less powerful than the first.

"Alvia! There you are! Did you find anything?" Asked the Doctor with a big smile.

"Nothing sorry," I replied, shaking my head.

"Hey, but you're the other teacher this morning!" Exclaimed Sarah-Jane with a smile and gratitude. "Alvia Saxon, right?"

"Absolutely, hello again Sarah-Jane Smith!" I greeted with a laugh in my voice.

"Can we concentrate? Rats?"

"Someone clearly didn't listen to me," I snorted with a little contempt. "Anyway, they may be food since they don't seem to be used for dissection. "

"No one is dissecting rats at school anymore, this is no longer the Middle Ages," replied Rose with the same contempt as I did.

"Currently, Rose. Even in my time we still dissected rats, and yet I came from 2019."

"You're from France, you eat frogs and are alcoholics," she commented wickedly.

I was going to respond to Rose's insult when the Doctor spoke suddenly, wanting to end this battle between the blonde and me.

"Never mind! Let's continue ... It all started when Mr. Finch arrived. We should check his office," he said, throwing the rat he was holding at Mickey before grabbing me by the shoulder and pulling me in the opposite direction.

Returning to the corridor, followed by Sarah-Jane, Rose and Mickey; the two women walked quickly to stand in front of us and make sure we walk a little slower and have to listen to the discussion / battle between Rose and Sarah-Jane.

"I don't mean to be rude, but who exactly are you?" Asked Rose with a fake friendly smile.

In fact, the blonde was completely rude. We all noticed, there was nothing to deny. The Doctor seemed totally uncomfortable with this situation because he looked everywhere except at the two women in front of us. I took his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers and tried to give him a comforting smile. It seemed to be working because he unconsciously rubbed his thumb on the back of my hand, or perhaps he was doing it unconsciously; who am I to know his thoughts, I only know his past, his present and his future.

"Sarah-Jane Smith. I was traveling with the Doctor."

"Oh, he never talked about you."

"I must have though, Sarah-Jane, mention it all the time," added the Doctor in a vain attempt.

"Hold on… sorry…. Never," she said, pretending to think.

"What? Not even once?" Exclaimed the oldest, injured. "He didn't mention me once?"

Rose walked away with I imagined a satisfied smile as Sarah-Jane decided to follow her, to do I don't know what. Mickey spoke suddenly, a hand on the Doctor's shoulder with a mocking laugh.

"Oh ho, mate! The missus and the ex. Welcome to the worst male nightmare."

"May I remind you she's your girlfriend, not mine?" Snapped the Doctor annoyingly, glaring at Mickey.

Mickey's mocking smile disappeared as he walked a bit and watched the Doctor in silence before his gaze turned to me. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what thought was going through his head as he narrowed his eyes and seemed to understand a great mystery. He seemed to have the enlightenment as he went to join the duo of women who certainly crimped their buns.

"Should we tell them that the office is that way?" I asked the Doctor as I pointed to the opposite direction of the trio.

"Nah, they will quickly realize. Let's go," he said before restarting.

We finally arrived near Finch's office and we were quickly met by the trio. The Doctor had let go of my hand when he started to search for his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the lock where it read "Yale" engraved on it.

"Maybe the rats were food," thought the Doctor aloud, opening the now unlocked door.

"Food for what?"

He entered the room and looked inside. You could all hear strange, completely non-human noises like breaths or snores coming from the ceiling. The Doctor looked up and I swallowed hard, watching the bat creatures sleeping upside down.

"Rose… You now you used to think all teachers slept in the school? Well... They do," added the Doctor as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake up one of the Krilitanes.

We all could see the dark spectacle on the ceiling before Mickey quickly took off away from there, turning on his heel.

"Nope, no way!" He said just before leaving followed by Rose, Sarah-Jane, me and the Doctor.

We rushed to the main doors of the school, which were wide open as Mickey spoke to Rose and pointed at our building. The Doctor said that when the new Headmaster came he was accompanied by seven teachers, four canteens and a nurse, that is to say thirteen bats. He then announced that he needed the Tardis to analyse the cooking oil that Rose had brought back, but Sarah-Jane told him that she had something to show him. I remembered that she had K9 with her and my smile grew as I joined the Doctor and his former companion towards a particular car.

Sarah-Jane opened the trunk and the Doctor lifted a green blanket and saw with great joy her robot dog: K9.

"K9!" He exclaimed completely delighted. "Alvia Saxon, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, this is K9. K9 Mark 3 to be precise."

I didn't see Mickey and Rose exchange a look, but I do know that I cooed in front of the robotic dog.

"Why does it look so ... Disco?"

"Oi! Look, in the year five thousand, it was cutting edge. What happened to him?" He said, turning to Sarah-Jane.

"One day, just ... Nothing," explained Sarah-Jane.

"And you didn't try to repair him?"

"It's not like she could find the right parts in a store at that time!" I added, looking at the mechanical interior of K9.

"Exactly!" She declared. "And then, his technology could have rewritten scientific knowledge. I couldn't show it to anyone."

The Doctor started to coo in front of K9 and my chest lifted in amusement. It was a trait of the Doctor's personality that I had never seen before, and it was totally endearing. The Doctor continued to pet the dog, making noises and cooing.

"I want one," I said, turning to him.

"No," he answered quickly. "And you already have nanogenes."

I sulked, I confess. I sulked like a child, with my arms crossed and everything.

"No offense, but can you stop spoiling her for a minute? No matter the metal dog, we're busy!" Rose said annoyingly.

"Rose you're heartless; how can you not love such an adorable dog!" I protested.

"It's just a robot," she hissed with a wicked look and a roll of her eyes before getting into the car.

"So where are we going, Sarah-Jane?" Asked the Doctor in the car.

"I don't know, do you have an idea?" She said, turning on the ignition

"If we could land in a place where we can eat, I'm not saying no."

* * *

We finally found an open chip shop at this time. I was quietly eating my Fish & Chips while watching the Doctor fix K9 with Sarah-Jane. Rose and Mickey were waiting at the counter for their orders, they were both chatting although Mickey was haughty, and Rose was somber. Sarah-Jane began to tell how she was sure the Doctor was on the ship at Christmas, then how she felt after being abandoned by the Doctor.

I did my best not to just focus on the discussion in front of me, even if it was difficult. I suddenly felt lonely. Rose had Mickey, the Doctor had Sarah-Jane, but I had no one. I would have loved Jack so much to be with us, I miss him ... I miss him very much. And it was in this state that I realized how I had nobody in this world. My family was definitely lost, but I hadn't noticed how much I missed my friends. My friends, with whom I could chat for hours on the same subject, whom we shared the same obsession for Tumblr, English actors and fanfictions. It was with them that I felt like myself and I could talk about everything and nothing without paying attention to any information that could change the future. I miss my old life. But if I had the opportunity to go home, I don't know if I would take it. It was difficult to return to an even more banal life than that which Sarah-Jane had lived. It was even harder to imagine entering a universe where everything I had experienced so far here was only fiction and impossible.

A telephone bell cut my thoughts as well as the discussion between the Doctor and Sarah-Jane. It took me a moment before I realized that it was my phone that was ringing. It was my phone that was broadcasting the opening of the 11th Doctor. I pulled out my phone and stared at the screen in amazement. The screen displayed a number that I didn't know but in my mind a lot of questions arose but the most important were these: Who's calling me? How did he get my number - mine, not of this world? Who would like to call me and why? I still hadn't picked up and, in the end, I didn't have time to know who was calling me because I took too long.

A bitter feeling of regret gnawed at my chest, but it disappeared as soon as my phone rang again and this time I hastened to answer the call as I headed outside. I put the device against my ear and finally spoke.

"Yes?"

"Ah, Alvia! I need your help! You have to bring me the big red stone, it started!" Began a familiar voice quickly.

An all too familiar voice.

"Who's speaking?" I asked cautiously, even if I suspected the identity of the person.

"Really? It's me, Alvia! The Doctor! Now, it isn't the time for a joke!"

I looked at my Doctor who was chatting and joking with Sarah-Jane, probably remembering the good old days.

"Doctor?"

"Honestly Alvia? It gets a little bit annoying," replied the voice with a sigh. "The Doctor, last Time Lords who travels in the Tardis and who is-"

"No, I know who you are!" I cut quickly. "But which one are you? It's not like you only have a dozen bodies through time and the universe! And how did you get my number!"

Silence echoed in my ear.

"... You're not the Alvia who travels with me," understood the Doctor.

A sheepish smile grew on my lips as fun was heard in my voice.

"Nope, sorry. But I'm going to make sure I remember that for the future. I should hang up, it looked like you were busy."

"Oh, it doesn't matter what's going on right now," he said with ease. "Where are you right now?"

"I just met Sarah-Jane and you're repairing K9 right now."

"Oh ... It's been so long for me!" He sighed tenderly.

"And there is still no way for me to have my own K9?" I tried with a laugh.

The Doctor laughed and we both shared a good laugh together.

"Still not," he refused. "Right, I'll leave you."

"You have a world to save, if I remember correctly."

"Don't I? And Alvia…"

"Yes, Doctor?"

The Doctor was going to tell me something, and probably said something but I didn't hear anything because Mickey suddenly pulled his head from the chip shop to call me, startled me and did not make me hear the words of the Doctor.

"OI! Come back inside, the tin dog has lit up."

I gestured while mimicking the words "I'm coming" before putting the Doctor's phone back to the ear to end the call.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I've to go. I didn't hear what you said because of Mickey, but you can tell my future self. "

"… It doesn't matter, see you soon Alvia."

"It's not a goodbye when I'm already with you. Now hush and run spaceman, the world must be saved!" I finished before hanging up and going inside, storing my phone in the inside pocket of my frock coat.

A small part of me wondered what the Doctor wanted to say to me on the phone. But most of my thoughts came back to our adventure and I glanced at the building from outside, watching two shadows on the roof of the building opposite. I now realized how careless I was when I went outside while we were being watched by the Krilitanes.

The Doctor was holding a small glass jar with oil inside. The Doctor was going to put his finger on it when Rose warned him not to do it because one of the canteens had been burned. The Doctor replied that he was not a canteen and plunged his index finger into the jar to retrieve a hazelnut of oil and place it on a small red suction cup that K9 tightened and which acted as a sensor. K9 had trouble speaking at the start of his analysis-Mickey taking advantage to make fun of him before being scolded by Sarah-Jane and holding a sore leg after I had hit his shin.

"Confirmation of the analysis. Substance is Krilitane oil," revealed K9.

"Krilitanes," repeated the Doctor in shock.

"Is that a bad thing?" Asked Rose.

"Very bad. Think of the worst situation and add another suitcase full of bad."

"And what are Krilitanes?" Asked Sarah-Jane.

"A composite race."

"A race which is like a mixture of traditions of several countries, invaded peoples and invaders, but taken literally, they take the characteristics better physical characteristics of the people which they destroy," I explained as easily as possible so that the others would understand. "Eyes, wings, poison et caetera…"

"Exactly," confirmed the Doctor. "That's why I didn't recognize them in the office earlier. The last time I met them it didn't look like but had long necks. And of all the places on earth, they chose a school. Why?"

"They have something to do with the children, some have knowledge beyond human knowledge." I replied, remembering what we had observed in class.

"We have to do something," said Sarah-Jane. "But not now, it's too late to do something."

"Let's rest," conceded the Doctor. "Tomorrow may be hectic."

"And where are we resting?" I asked, crossing my arms, arched eyebrow. "The Tardis is still in school and making the way to London is useless."

"You can sleep at my house," offered the former companion. "I have rooms and a very comfy sofa."

"Really?" Asked the surprised Doctor.

"That's the lesser of it." Smiled Sarah-Jane.

The Doctor turned his head slightly to get our opinion and after a few seconds during a silent exchange the Doctor turned to his old companion and nodded quietly in confirmation with a small smile on his lips. Sarah-Jane's face seemed to light up as a big smile grew on her face.

I helped Sarah-Jane and Mickey put K9 in the trunk of the car and as soon as it was done I sat happily against the car.

"I never imagined that k9 could be this heavy, maybe you should slow down on the dog food," I joked, turning to the woman who giggled.

"So, what's the deal with the tin dog?"

"The Doctor likes to travel accompanied. Sometimes with humans, sometimes with aliens, sometimes with tin dogs," said Sarah-Jane. " And you? Where do you stand? I guess for Alvia, but not for you."

I blinked at the mention of my name.

"Me? I'm their 3rd man, tech support, I'm... " He bragged before his mood dropped, realizing what he was. "Oh my god ... I'm the tin dog."

"You saved the earth by blowing up Downing Street, I don't think K9 could have done it," I added with a wink to cheer him up.

"It was you? Downing Street!" She exclaimed. "Oh, I should have known. "

"It was the day I met the Doctor. He was in a different body, blue eyes, short brown hair and he was wearing a leather jacket. "

"You forget that he had fairly substantial ears and nose. He looked stupid," added Mickey, gesturing towards his nose and ears.

"I have an artist's eye, I see beauty in a lot of things," I replied with a slight haughty tone. "It is clearly not innate in everyone. "

Sarah-Jane giggled, and Mickey was going to retort when a shrill cry was heard, startling us and a Krilitanes hovered over Rose and the Doctor before disappearing into the night.

The duo seemed to have had a slightly heated discussion because Rose's eyes were slightly red and the Doctor's mood a little darker than before.

"Let's go," he said, rushing towards us.

And that was all he told us during the trip to Sarah-Jane's house.

* * *

Sarah-Jane's house was nice and warm. The decoration told the story of the woman and her love for everything that attracted space and the unusual. Sarah-Jane helped us out with two more mattresses and pointed to the guest bedroom. After a cup of tea and a nice chat we all went to bed.

I was in the guest bedroom, Rose and Mickey were sleeping soundly and the Doctor was in the living room on the sofa. I turned around several times, looking for sleep but not finding it. The house was silent if it weren't for Mickey's snoring. Sighing in annoyance, I ended up pulling the blanket and getting dressed to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water and sit outside so as not to disturb anyone. As I filled the water in as silently as possible a voice called out to me.

"Alvia?"

It was the Doctor, I suspected that he didn't sleep either, but for him it was more biological than other things.

"I can't sleep," I explained simply by closing the tap.

He moved towards me and I could observe in the moonlight that he was no longer wearing his suit jacket or his tie. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him after I drank my water and put the glass on the table. His hand was so much bigger than mine and warm too.

"Your hands are cold ..." he remarked.

"Yeah ... They do that sometimes."

We moved to the sofa and he covered my body with the blanket before taking me in his arms and laying us down on the sofa; it was clearly an innovation on his part, but I had absolutely no complaints.

"Is there any particular reason that you can't sleep?" He asked as his warm breath caressed my neck.

"I think about a lot of things ..." I admitted, sinking comfortably into his embrace.

"Wouldn't you mind telling me? I am a good ear for those who need it…"

"I know ..." I smiled softly before falling into silence.

For a while I searched for the right words and during that time the Doctor's thumb was rubbing one of my hands circularly to warm it up. It was nice to have someone taking care of me and I wish that feeling would never go away.

"The phone call earlier ..." I started.

"Mmm? "

"It was from you, in the future. An accident of course, he wanted to call the me of his time."

His hand stopped in his gesture and I gave him time to digest the information before resuming.

"The future you was going to tell me something when Mickey called me to go back inside and I couldn't hear him… So, I wonder what you were going to tell me, and the question doesn't want to get out my mind… "

"I don't know what I wanted to tell you in the future, but I know you will know it when the time comes. Now ... Should I expect more intervention from our future selves?" He joked softly.

I laughed gently with him but deep down I asked myself the same question with more seriousness. It wasn't the first time that his future intervened with me ...

A yawn interrupted my chuckles and the Doctor tightened his grip a little more. I turned around and pressed my cheek against his chest, listening to the rhythm of four that his hearts beat softly.

"You should sleep, Alvia ... Tomorrow will be an eventful day..." he said.

"I would have liked to contradict you, but you're so right ..." I mumbled, falling asleep in his arms.

Just before I plunged into morphea's arms - and his arms, at the same time - I felt the Doctor drop a kiss on the top of my head, making me smile softly as I fell asleep.

* * *

The Doctor gently kissed the top of Alvia's head as he felt her fall asleep. He saw a small smile settle on her lips and felt his chest warm at the sight. He dared not run his hands through the red hair of his companion for fear of waking her up because Rassilon knows she needed sleep.

He really cared about her. And today he had this fearful spike when he saw his former partner Sarah-Jane for the first time in a long time. He was afraid that Alvia would react negatively like Rose had done, but she still seemed to manage to surprise him. Alvia seemed to really like Sarah-Jane and K9. Come to think of it, Alvia had almost literally jumped with excitement when she saw K9 and had asked to have one for her too. The memory made him smile tenderly.

It wasn't often that she showed this aspect of her, this childish aspect, curious and so happy. He couldn't guess that everything she had gone through had left her traumatized and forced her to acquire maturity; and yet he loved her so much that she was the girl she was. He was happy that Alvia was taking care of him and his Tardis, but who was taking care of her?

And the discussion between him and Rose came back to mind. Alvia had once told her that the Tardis was his house, and should he ever make her leave the Tardis, she would have nothing else. She had already lost so much and suffered so much. She would never again feel this pain, promised the Doctor.

_As long as it takes, I'll take care of her and keep her close to me_, thought the Doctor, tightening his arms a little more around Alvia and gently kissing the top of her head before burying his nose in her hair, sleeping a bit until the sun rises.

* * *

It was a hand that gently caressed my arm and my cheek that woke me up. I groaned slightly at the light that attacked my sight through my eyelids and buried my nose in the blanket, mumbling what I thought was "five more minutes." A slight chuckle reached my ears and the caresses on my arm did not stop. When I opened my eyes, I met the Doctor's warm and tender brown gaze. His hair was a mess and he wore a sweet smile on his lips.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty. It's time to get up," he said softly, his smile never leaving his lips.

"I hate getting up to go to school ... Even as a teacher ..." I grumbled.

"It's almost finished. Come on, have a breakfast. Sarah-Jane put the water to boil for tea."

"Mm... Tea, solution for everything," I added, getting up slowly, the blanket slipping from my shoulders.

The Doctor reached out to me and helped me to my feet before reaching out again to comb a lock of hair behind my ear. I blushed gently at the gesture before telling him that he should do his hair, because he looked like a hedgehog; and headed for the kitchen, red still on my cheeks.

I greeted Sarah-Jane who poured water into cups and sat at the table with her. We were quickly joined by the Doctor who made a toast and spread strawberry jam there. I was drinking my cup of tea, adding a sugar cube before I was satisfied, and I made my own buttered toast with strawberry jam too. Breakfast was accompanied by quiet and light discussions and I was starting my third toast when Rose and Mickey got up. I greeted them with a nod before swallowing the sandwich and finishing my tea.

I looked at the clock and saw that we had an hour and a half before we went to school. I asked if I could use the shower and as soon as I had an affirmation and indications on the place could be the towel I went there. I did not wash my hair, not wanting to keep the bathroom to myself, but as soon as I left the room, I was pushed to the side by Rose who entered like a hurricane in the room. I glared at the closed door and rolled my eyes before going to the guest bedroom to retrieve my shoes and the rest of my clothes.

I laced up my low burgundy vans on the sofa when the Doctor joined me in the room, munching on a cookie. His hair was now styled, and he was putting on his tie. I saw his hands twist and move with ease and speed; his tie was put on in less than ten seconds. He then buttoned the first button on his suit jacket before sitting down next to me.

"What are we going to do today?" I asked, making a bow tie on my last shoe

"Since their program is not on paper, it must certainly be computerized," informed the Doctor. "I would need a conversation with the Headmaster and we must keep the teachers away from him."

"Human teachers or Krilitanes?"

"Both."

"Let's make a plan, then."

* * *

The Doctor got out of the car with a serious look. It was understandable, only monsters would use children to achieve their ends. The Silence were an example in this world, raising Amy's and Rory's child to transform her into a perfect assassin with the bonus of being a psychopath.

The Doctor suddenly searched the inside pocket of his jacket to take out his sonic screwdriver.

"Rose and Sarah-Jane, you go to the math department. You're going to hack these computers. I need the hard drive," he ordered before handing Sarah her screwdriver, leaving Rose looking like an idiot as she reached out thinking she would have the screwdriver. "Mickey, surveillance, I want you outside. Alvia inside surveillance, try to keep the teachers from disturbing us in any way. For my part, it's time to exchange a few words with Mr. Finch, the headmaster."

In the school entrance hall, we all separated, I joined the procession of teachers while Rose and Sarah-Jane went to the computers and the Doctor was looking for the Headmaster.

I had barely arrived in the hallway of the teacher's room when something hit me hard and my whole vision went dark as I fell unconscious on the floor.

* * *

The Doctor was chatting with Finch who turned out to be Brother Lassa. The Doctor constantly had his hands in his pockets.

"What is your plan?"

"You don't know?"

"I have this friend who knows a lot and most certainly your plan. I could have asked her and put an end to this whole circus for a while, but I preferred not to abuse this privilege. It was more polite to ask you directly."

Brother Lassa crumpled up at the sudden news, who else would know about their plan? They had been as discreet as possible. He would inform his brothers later.

"Well, I'm not going to tell you anything. Work it out," replied the Headmaster.

"If I don't like it, I'll stop it."

* * *

Sarah-Jane and Rose got confused over the Doctor, trying to dominate each other by telling what she had seen until the most ridiculous came out and the tension in the room disappeared and they laughed.

When the Doctor entered the class, asking for news only to find his companions laughing loudly without having done anything and the Doctor was really trying to know the computer programs despite the laughter of the women.

* * *

I woke up lying on the ground, in an uncomfortable position, arms tied behind my back and gag in the mouth. From where I was, I could see the group of Krilitane teachers who were chatting and seemed to be having tea. A door suddenly opened, and the Headmaster entered.

"My brothers, we have to start the final phase. Bring the kids in and lock the school. Our hour is coming, my brothers. Today we are becoming gods."

"Brothers Lassa," spoke a canteen lady. "We have a gift for you, her smell was near some brothers' lockers, and she seemed ready to snoop around and do something."

The canteen lady who spoke suddenly approached me before getting up, pulling me by the hair. I groaned in pain through the gag and tried my best not to show them tears that were beading in the corner of my eyes from the pain.

"And there it is ... Our nosy little vixen ..." the Headmaster spoke softly. "Your friend the Doctor, seems to have told me something very important about you ..." He said, coming up, raising his hand.

That hand gripped my jaw firmly and gently lifted my chin towards him. From an outside point of view, you would think it was soft, but I could feel the force in his fingers. He could destroy my jaw so easily.

"You are in possession of knowledge," he revealed. "You will be our soothsayer; every divine pantheon must have one."

A shiver of horror climbed my spine, so what had the Doctor said? How dare he reveal something so important and dangerous? He'll hear me speak, when it's all over...

The Headmaster's other hand slipped to the back of my head and loosened my gag.

"Tell me, my dear soothsayer, what is in store for us in the future? Tell me everything…"

"You will lose ..." I hissed. "And the Doctor will show you no mercy, you've already got a warning."

"Mmm ... That's what we'll see! My brothers let's start! And I think we could have lunch a little earlier."

Their carnivorous smiles didn't inspire confidence in me at all. And as they all left the room, the Headmaster threw me against the table, without my being able to absorb the fall. His cold gaze met mine and he in turn left the room, locking me up in his office. When I was absolutely sure I was alone, I tried to get rid of the link that held my wrist behind my back, looking as best as possible, I deduced that the handcuffs that held me was made of a material not found on earth, their shape was absolutely unfamiliar to me.

When the Headmaster returned a little later, the students had all gone to class after a message on the school grounds. Finch moved to his desk and closed the entire school. After a few seconds he finally turned to me, a nasty smile on his lips.

"Let's go join the others, shall we?"

And with these words he left the office pulling me with him, his grip on my arm was firm and I couldn't escape. He was fast too and didn't seem to care if I was hanging on or not. He was determined. He pulled me into the halls and climbed the stairs until I reached the room where the Doctor and the rest were.

I was going to make a noise, but Finch this time placed his hand against my throat and squeezed it enough, so I could feel the bruising in the future and I was running out of air. I was suffocating.

"Let the lesson begin. The paradigm solved, the reality will be clay in our hands."

The group turned to us. Rose seemed shocked to see me with Finch, Sarah-Jane looked in horror at the hand that held me back. And the Doctor's gaze got even darker at my sight, as I fussed lightly for air, my lungs starting to burn.

"We can reshape the universe and improve it."

"And you, at the head of all creation? Call me old-fashioned, but I like the universe as it is."

With a hoarse hiss, I inhaled as deeply as possible to get as much oxygen as I could. At the hiss, the Doctor looked at me again, concern in his eyes. I don't know what I looked like right now, but I shouldn't be a top model either. Unfortunately, all my attention was unconsciously attired towards the board behind the trio, my eyes observed themselves in this code and I felt my whole environment melt to immerse myself only in this green code. Numbers, symbols and letters, of all alphabets, of all civilizations and all times were abundant in my mind.

* * *

As Alvia gradually fell into intense concentration like children to crack the code of the universe, no one realized her condition. The attention of the traveling trio was concentrated on the speech of Brothers Lassa who proposed to the Doctor to take charge of the universe, to offer youth to Sarah-Jane Smith and immortality to Rose Tyler. He was like the serpent of the Garden of Eden, whispering in his ear to bite the apple of knowledge despite the ban.

And it was when the Doctor considered this offer to save everyone, including her own people, that Sarah-Jane took back the spirit of the Doctor. It was then that Rose became aware of Alvia's abnormality and stillness. Instead of his brown eyes lightly ambered in the sun, her eyes glowed in a sickly bright green, the same green that the screens and the program broadcast. Her glistening green eyes were glassy and fully focused on the big screen. She was barely breathing, her chest rising very little.

"Doctor, there is something about Alvia!" She suddenly exclaimed.

The heads turned to the redhead and saw in horror that those eyes were green. Brothers Lassa was himself surprised before a huge smile that announced nothing good grew on his lips.

"Well ... It seems like surprises are building up with her ..." purred the Krilitane. "She is almost on the verge of cracking the codes. From one minute to the next, the manipulation of the universe will be available to us."

"What did you do to her!" Spat the Doctor.

"A mind so powerful ..." congratulated the Krilitane by loosening the grip on the redhead's neck a little and caressing her curls. "Who would have believed it ... But I should have seen it before. She's an artist in her soul. She's more than just a seer or a soothsayer, Doctor."

"A seer? What do you mean a seer?" Asked Rose confused. "Doctor, explain."

The insistent look of Rose and curious of Sarah-Jane as well as the insistence of the Krilitanes left him no other choice.

"Alvia, knows things. She knows the past, the present and the future, my future," revealed the Doctor reluctantly. "A large part of her knowledge is intimately linked to my life. Who dies, who succeeds."

"I remember, one day she told me that she knew where you came from, what you were going through, how you were going to live and how you were going to die," remembered Rose. "Does that mean that all this time she knew what was going to happen during our adventures? The daleks? Your regeneration? My father's death!"

"Yes," he replied simply.

"Such a small creature with such great potential..." purred the Headmaster. "Use her and all the power will be yours."

The Doctor silently observed his red-haired companion. He saw her lips quiver as if she was muttering the code at top speed. Her green eyes reading, staring forever at the lit screen was bright, shining with tears. Drops that had beaded around the corner of the eye, and one of those drops suddenly slipped from the eye and rolled over his cheek. The tear seemed to destroy the Doctor inside and he quickly made up his mind. He grabbed the chair and threw it on the screen, which broke under the sudden and violent shock., Brother Lassa letting go of his grip on her neck and avoiding the chair. This turned off the program in the room, and Alvia's gleaming green eyes suddenly returned to their original color. Alvia suddenly regained consciousness, panting, swallowing air as if she had been underwater for so long, hungry for air.

The Doctor grabbed Alvia's arm and pulled her with her as he ran out of the room quickly followed by the blonde and brunette.

* * *

I regained consciousness abruptly, swallowing the air as if I were a child who had just come into the world. I did not immediately regain my mind, but someone pulled me by the arm and forced me to run up and down the stairs quickly while my hands were still tied. It was on the ground floor that I was finally in control of my body and my mind. I looked confusedly at the hall, wondering where Finch was, why I was suddenly in the company of the Doctor, Rose, Sarah-Jane Mickey and a kid. The answer came in the form of four Krilitanes who flew towards us quickly.

The Doctor pulled me from them and we ran towards the canteen. When I got there, the Doctor removed my handcuffs with his sonic screwdriver and I massaged my free wrists. The Headmaster entered a few seconds after us and his brothers. The Krilitanes in their true forms flew around the room, claws coming out hoping to hurt us.

"I want the Doctor and his foxy companion alive. For the others, make it a feast," Finch ordered.

The Krilitanes rushed towards us. The Doctor tried to defend himself with a chair while the rest of us were grounded, trying to find a way to do something when suddenly a beam of red light appeared, hitting one in the chest and fell heavily to the ground, dead. K9 was there and Finch screamed in rage at the death of one of his family.

"I suggest you enter the race mode, mistress," said the robotic dog.

We took the opportunity to run and K9 fired again and again on the Krilitanes.

"K9, hold them back!" Yelled the Doctor.

"Affirmative, master. Maximum defence mode."

We ran to reach a door and as soon as we all crossed it, he closed it with his screwdriver. We were in a science classroom and I welcomed the tables and the chairs. The Doctor went around in search of an exploitable weak spot before he had the flash of illumination.

"The oil! The Krilitanes can't stand oil! That's it!" Exclaimed the Doctor before explaining to us quickly. "They've changed physiology so often that their own oil has become toxic to them! How many are there in the kitchen?" He asked Rose.

"Barrels."

We all suddenly jumped as the Krilitanes begin to knock and destroy the locked door.

"Directions to the kitchen! Who wants to devote himself to save the children?" I asked abruptly as I walked over to the fire alarm.

"I'll do it," Offered Mickey.

"Well, now we're running in 3, 2, 1!"

At this count I snapped my elbow in the alarm which immediately sounded. Immediately we started to run, and Mickey left the group to go save the children, followed by the boy. We were joined just before the kitchen by K9 and discovered the barrels of oil inside. The Doctor went to scan the barrels to find that they were locked and that he couldn't open them.

"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser, but my batteries are discharged," informed K9.

"Okay, everybody goes out the back door. K9, stay with me," said the Doctor, not moving from his place.

We did what he told us and rushed out. As soon as the fresh air hit my face, I felt better than before. Rose and I went to the school while Sarah-Jane stayed by the metal door, waiting for the Doctor and her dog to return. My legs could not hold any more and I preferred to put myself on the ground-the stability of the ground made me feel good. Mickey went out a few minutes later, joined by the noisy students. The school exploded a few moments later, the glass shattering and course sheets flying in the air.

I put a hand on my forehead, the memory of symbols, numbers and letters flying in my mind in a specific pattern made me nauseated. This nausea intensified, and I got up abruptly, almost sprawling on the ground and moved away a little. I squatting down, one hand supporting me against a brick wall when before I violently vomited the little that I had in my stomach. The sour, acrid taste of digestive juices settled in my mouth and my throat was burning.

"Hey, are you okay?" Asked Mickey, who had heard me throw up.

He seemed to realize that something was wrong with me as I continued to vomit.

"Hey Alvia? Doctor!"

The Doctor and Sarah-Jane approached me, completely worried. One pair of hands went to remove my hair from the face while another pair landed on and off my shoulders and rubbed my back gently.

When I had nothing more to vomit, not even my own juices I made sure to hold my heart. I was given a handkerchief and a bottle of water and I took them with joy. I rinsed and wiped my mouth before I finished the bottle to get something in my stomach, my throat was sore.

"What caused this, Alvia?" Asked the Doctor gently, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, bringing me closer to him.

"This is the thing, the paradigm ... Symbols still float in my head until I get sick," I replied softly, my stomach still making an unpleasant start.

"Let's go back to the Tardis, you can rest there," he said tenderly, kissing the top of my head. "I'll help you remove the symbols from your mind, okay?"

I nodded gently, and the Doctor went to inform everyone before we left to go to the Tardis.

In the Tardis, instead of leading me to my room, the Doctor preferred to take me to the observatory. To my confused look, he explained to me simply that he preferred to remove all traces of the paradigm in a calm place that would not be easily found. And that's what he did, again feeling that old and powerful presence in my mind, he went to look for all the traces and made them disappear. When he retired, I put my forehead against his chest, exhausted but now healthier. His hand absently stroked my cheek before he carried me to my surprise, his arms lifting my back and my legs, before taking me to my room to rest there.

Before the start of the trip, I wrapped my arms around his neck lest he let go, despite the fact that he was not going to do it even by accident. And during this little trip I put my cheek against him, dozing as his steps rocked me. I was laid in my bed and his hand went through my hair one last time before I fell asleep for a few hours.

When I woke up, I felt very healthy and had regained all of my energy. This nap really did me good!

Having no idea where the others were, I went looking for the Doctor. I found it thanks to Sexy who took me to a sort of laboratory. The Doctor had his glasses, his tongue sticking out as he seemed to be building a new K9. In order not to startle him, I announced my presence by knocking softly on the open door before joining his side.

"How are you, Alvia?" He asked, tweaking some cables.

"Better. Are you rebuilding K9?" I asked, putting my cheek against my fist, my elbow against the table.

"Yes, and I give him some updates. Sarah-Jane was so sad when she knew about K9. He was a good dog."

I gently caressed K9's head, trying to remember my own dog that I had in my old world. With my gaze absent, I did not pay attention to the Doctor who had stopped rebuilding K9. I didn't see his tender gaze landing on me while I was remembering my pet.

I jumped slightly as his hand wrapped gently around mine, the Doctor giving me a sweet smile that made my heart jump. I knew at that time that it was too late for me, I was irreparably in love with him. That I could no longer turn around and try to be nothing but simple friends without taking everything he deigned to offer me, consciously as well as unconsciously. Loving the Doctor was going to offer me as much happiness as sorrow. I could feel it in my being that one day I was going to be torn to have as much to love this being so lonely and yet so loved who was by my side. One day ... One day this love would break me or worse ... Kill me.

"Do you want to help me rebuild K9? With an extra pair of hands, I could go faster."

My gaze was on the lifeless robotic dog at the moment. A sweet smile hiding all the darkness of my thoughts settled on my lips and I accepted the Doctor's offer. I went to look for a chair and pulled it to settle down next to the Doctor, our shoulders touching each other so that he told me what I should do and what it would do when K9 is in market. He spoke to me softly, not hesitating to explain quietly when I let him know that I had lost him. Not once did he look at me like I had drooled over my t-shirt like a toddler. His smile was encouraging, and it warmed my heart to see that smile and the happiness in his eyes.

It must have been early in the morning when we finished building K9 and the Doctor turned it on for the first time. As soon as he woke up K9, recognized the Doctor as his master. It was then the end of this shared moment. He wished me good night while I was in his arms in a pleasant embrace. Just before leaving I dared to kiss him on the cheek before giving him one last look and going to bed to wake up the next morning, ready with Rose and the Doctor to go on a new adventure.

Mickey had joined us for breakfast and when we went to the main room it was to welcome Sarah-Jane a few minutes later. She entered the room as if it was the first time she had entered it, she observed every corner of the room which buzzed happily when the woman arrived. The Doctor wasn't the only one happy to see Sarah-Jane again, I guess.

"You've redecorated," remarked the brunette.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh yeah. I preferred it as it was, but it'll do."

"We all have a favourite console room," I added, putting my hand against the console, enjoying the warm buzz. "Although the Tardis will always be beautiful, inside and out," I said knowingly.

"I love it," added Rose with a satisfied smile, leaning against the railing.

"Hey you!" Greeted Sarah-Jane. "What's forty-seven times three hundred and sixty-nine?"

"No idea. It's gone, the oil's gone. "

"But you're still clever."

Sarah-Jane and Rose chatted lightly together, and I turned to the Doctor who was starting to tweak the buttons and some lever. And Mickey was watching Rose with a small smile on his face. I stretched slowly, like a cat, cracking some vertebrae with satisfaction and growling softly in appreciation.

"Doctor?" Asked Rose.

He looked up, suddenly entering the conversation, remembering what to ask Sarah-Jane since this morning's conversation with Rose.

"Um, we were going to leave, but you can come with us. If you want."

Rose looked at the former partner with a smile of hope and the Doctor, and when she refused their smile fell slightly.

"It's over for me. And then I have a bigger adventure ahead of me. It is time that I stop waiting and start living my life," explained the brunette.

That's when Mickey dared to speak and asked if he could come. Of course, everyone thought that he wanted to come with Sarah-Jane and that made an awkward and amusing silence fall for me, before he rectified himself and asked if he could come to live adventures with us in the Tardis.

"Because I'm not the tin dog and I want to see what's out there."

Looking at Rose, I saw that she was silently saying no to the Doctor, but he seemed to ignore her because Sarah-Jane encouraged him to take a Smith in the Tardis, because we needed it. The Doctor agreed to Mickey's delight, who laughed but quickly stopped when the blonde didn't react.

"Rose, how are you?"

"No, great. Why not?"

The mood fell definitively, and I turned as discreetly as possible towards the Doctor silently saying to him "Awkward!" Because the situation was totally awkward.

The Doctor patted me lightly on the shoulder to get the gift for Sarah-Jane without noticing us. We hid K9 which was covered with a red blanket, thanks to Mickey and we put it behind the Tardis. Mickey came back inside, and I held the door for the brunette while the Doctor was waiting outside; before closing the door and letting them say goodbye, especially coming from the Doctor. I nevertheless turned on the screen to see them share a big hug and especially to see the reaction of Sarah-Jane to her new K9.

The Doctor started the engines, and Sarah-Jane burst into joy and tears as she hugged her new dog.

"So where are we going now?" Casually asked the Doctor with a small smile on his lips.

"Mickey's first trip. Hmm. I guess we can go to an amazing place, right? What do you think of the 51st century?"

"Go, for an incredible trip, then!" He smiled widely. "I'm preparing the coordinates, we'll go a little later. Time for everyone to rest."

"Good for me!"

* * *

here's the translation of the french sentences.

**"Bonjour, tout le monde. J'espère que vous avez fait vos travaux parce que je ramasse."**

"Hello, everyone. I hope you did your homework because I am picking up.

**"J'espère on peut garder le contact!"**

I hope we can keep in touch!

**"J'espère que nous pourrons garder le contact, Brown"**

I hope we could keep in touch, Brown

**Vous**** ferez des fautes, tout le monde fait des fautes ; mais il faut apprendre de vos erreurs pour ne plus les refaire ensuite. Vous comprenez?"**

You will make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes; but you have to learn from your mistakes so that you don't repeat them again. You understand?"

**Attendez une minute! Vous pensez partir sans noter le travail à faire? Je sais que ce n'est amusant mais vous êtes ici pour travailler." **

Wait a minute! Thinking of leaving without noting the work to be done? I know it's not fun but you're here to work. "

**Pour le prochain cours, je veux que vous me fassiez des recherches sur les fables de Jean de Lafontaine et ses fables les plus connue, nous allons travailler sur ces textes au niveau de l'écriture et de votre oral,"**

For the next lesson, I want you to do my research on Jean de Lafontaine's fables and his most famous fables, we will work on these texts at the level of writing and your oral, "

**"Bon appétit tout le monde!"**

"Enjoy your meal everyone!"


	21. The Girl in The Fireplace

Hey people ! a new chapter ! the longest so far !

I really enjoyed writing this chapter.

Thanks to my friend, I was able to catch up on the delay that I had on Doctor Who. the last episode was so full of intrigue, I can't wait to see the end of it all! and Jaaaack !

thank you bored411 for correcting my chapters!

Anyway, Enjoy!

* * *

I was ready and headed for the console room with a pin between my teeth as I hung my hair. When I was finished I was at the end of the corridor, watching the Doctor tweak his sonic screwdriver. When I looked at him a little more closely I noticed a change in him.

"Did you cut your hair?"

He looked up sharply at the sound of my voice, it seemed he was far too focused to have heard me.

"I did some touch-up yes, what do you think?" He asked, running a hand through his hair.

"As long as you're not completely bald, everything is fine with me. And is it gel?" I asked as I approached to gently touch his locks.

He hums with affirmation as he gets closer to me.

"This incarnation is definitely more apt for vanity ..." I whispered, tightening his tie a little.

His lips curved in a lazy smile as he played with one of my curls. It seemed like I could send the devil all my promises and restrictions about the Doctor. I couldn't stand still when he was so close to me and he offered me a tempting smile.

"You don't seem to be complaining though," he said as if he was purring.

My cheeks slowly started to blush as my lips curved in an identical though slightly more mischievous smile.

"No complaints from me." I laughed softly as I became a little more ambitious in our relationship.

His fingers slowly and gently pulled one of my locks while his lips gathered in an adorable pout.

"I'm jealous, you're ginger and not me. I'm sure I would have looked absolutely awesome with red hair. "

The image of the Doctor with red hair came to my mind before yellow eyes like those of a snake replaced his usually brown eyes and the memory of having some pictures of David Tennant with his red dye and a haircut similar to that of the Doctor, on my phone suddenly come back to me. This reminder was like a light bulb that suddenly lit above my head and I suddenly backed up, frantically looking for my phone on me.

"I've something to show you, you'll surely like it! Just let me find my phone," I said, rummaging through the inside pockets of my dark gray frock coat with burgundy red lining.

I finally took out my phone, turned it on and searched among all my photos while hiding the screen from the Doctor, knowing that there were spoilers and everything… finally I found the right photos and I showed him the phone, so he can see the pictures there.

"Hey! It's me!"

"Doctor, let's introduce you to the actor who plays your role as well as many other great roles in other movies and series, David Tennant."

"He was born ginger?"

"No!" I laughed. "He's brown like you, he just used a dye for one of his roles in a series ... Good Omens."

"From Neil Gaiman?"

"Yup. And in this series, he plays Crowley, the demon. It may not be a natural ginger, but even as a color it suits David Tennant. And I think that would suit you too."

The Doctor looked even more delighted than before and grabbed my shoulders before kissing my forehead energetically.

"I could dye my hair! And I would finally be ginger! Well, not natural, but still ginger! Ah!" He exclaimed with joy. "Alvia! You are brilliant!"

My cheeks ignited slowly as he complimented me again and again. The kiss on the forehead didn't help any more. I awkwardly put my phone in my coat before plunging my hands into the outside pockets.

"All you have to do is find the right shade."

"What are you talking about?" Suddenly asked a voice behind us.

"Ah!" Mickey finally you are there! Alvia discussed about the possibility that I can finally be ginger! I could dye my hair!" He explained excitedly like a hyperactive puppy.

"Why do you want to be ginger? No offense, Alvia!" Added Mickey after I raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"I've always wanted to be red, since I was a child. I haven't had a single incarnation with red hair. "

"Dude, you're so weird," added Mickey with a confused look.

"You'll get used to it quickly," said Rose, who had just entered the room.

Her gaze focused on the short distance between me and the Doctor, and she glared at me before suddenly ignoring me to turn to the Doctor.

"So, let's go?"

"Okay, let's go!" Exclaimed the Doctor, pulling a lever.

* * *

Despite the chaotic journey, we arrived on good terms without injuries. It was the Doctor who got out of the Tardis first, wearing his coat; followed by Mickey, who blocked the exit as he gazed in wonder at the spaceship in which we had landed. After gently pushing him with one hand behind his back, Rose's boyfriend finally spoke. For once I had left my coat inside, only going out in a shirt.

"It's a spaceship! Awesome! I have got a spaceship for my first go!"

"Welcome to the world, Mickey!" I said, patting his shoulder before looking at the dark room.

"Looks like it's been abandoned," said Rose. "Is there anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here. Well, nothing dangerous. Well, not too dangerous."

"You're going in, Doctor," I commented with an amused breath.

"You know what? Let's take a look, in case there is something dangerous," he said before heading to the control panel in the center of the room.

He started tapping some buttons while Rose went over to the Doctor and I decided to start lounging around and observing every little detail I could catch. The light suddenly turned on as the ceiling opened and showed us a magnificent exterior view of the stars and a purple and pink galaxy. Mickey went to a window followed by Rose as the Doctor announced what time we were in and how many light years we were from Earth. Far in the future and far from Earth, in summary. I approached a rusty-looking machine that reminded me of a cockpit. The rust devoured the metal while the brown and black grime and the dust and covered the thing like a layer of paint, it was better not to run your fingers over it, at the risk of removing a sort of viscous paste with the composition more than doubtful.

"I don't know what happened here, but this ship has tons of repairs to do." Suddenly commented the Doctor with a few objects in hand before his gaze fixed on a screen. "But that's odd. All the engines work, full capacity. There's enough power to punch a hole in the universe and we're not moving. What then is all this power for? Any ideas, Alvia?" Asked the Doctor.

Rose turned to me as if I was going to reveal the greatest secrets of the universe. I didn't like her look. I was starting to get something bad, very bad feelings.

"Sure, I've got ideas, but the question is, where's the crew? A ship with such power doesn't just drop like that in the middle of space."

"Indeed, good question Alvia. The scan doesn't detect life on board other than us."

"We're in space, they didn't just nip out for a quick fag."

"No, I checked the smoking pods," added the Doctor seriously.

I suddenly heard Rose sniffing the air and glancing at the group I could tell they did the same.

"Can you smell that?" Asked the Doctor suddenly after a short silence.

"Yeah, someone's cooking," answered Rose.

A mass weighing more than a ton fell into my stomach and my throat tightened as this unpleasant feeling of nausea suddenly settled in me. I paled a little as I inhaled the smell of roasted flesh. My eyes unconsciously searched for any android and I tried to concentrate to hear a deep tic-tac.

"Sunday roast, definitely!" Added Mickey with an appreciative and dreamy smile.

The Doctor randomly pressed a button and the door behind me suddenly stood up, causing me to jump. Turning around I saw a Rococo style fireplace, which was lit. Forgetting the smell of cooked meat, I walked with joy and excitement to the fireplace. I traced the details and patterns with my fingers as I appreciated the warmth of the fire.

"This is an object you don't often see in a ship," said the Doctor.

"18th century, French Rococo style fireplace, definitely. It's absolutely beautiful, I never thought I would see one so close and in such good condition!" I smiled greatly. "Brilliant!"

"How do you know?" Suddenly asks Rose.

"I studied art's history when I was in high school, painting, fashion, architecture... Everything went there! I loved having these lessons, I totally dreamed of traveling back in time to observe architecture without the damage of time, fashion and lifestyles! To live in times of the past as if it were my present."

"You never indicated that aspect of the trip you wanted to have ..." remarked the Doctor, with a slight sadness in his eyes.

"Because what I would like is not a few hours or a day trip, it would be several weeks. And I know you hate staying in the same place for a long time at the same time…" I explained gently, stroking the patterns of the fireplace without looking at the Doctor.

"Never put my envy before yours ..." gently reprimands the Doctor near me, his hand gently caressing my cheek.

I smiled gently, thanking him silently. My attention went back to the fireplace.

"Anyway, this fireplace seems authentic to me."

The Doctor took out his screwdriver to analyse the fireplace, while Rose went to a window to look outside.

"Not a hologram and according to the sonic this is an authentic 18th century French fireplace. Double-sided. "

"There can't be, that's the outer hull of the ship, look!" Rose replied as the Doctor moved to go see.

I crouched down and saw a young blonde girl on the other side. She had her eyes wide open in surprise but remained calm.

"Bonjour toi!" I greeted. (Hello, you)

"Bonsoir mademoiselle. "(Good evening, miss)

Oh! French! Finally, someone who spoke French! I never noticed how much I missed hearing my native language.

"Comment est-ce que tu t'appelles ? Moi, c'est Alvia," I asked as I introduced myself, drawing the attention of the trio. (What's your name? I'm Alvia)

"Reinette," replied the girl.

"Reinette? Un si jolie nom. Dis-moi, je ne veux pas avoir l'air suspicieuse ou bien quelque chose dans ce genre là mais où est-ce que tu te trouves ?" (Such a lovely name. Tell me, I don't want to be suspicious or something, but, where are you?)

"Dans ma chambre ?" (In my room ?)

"Je le pensais bien, Reinette. Mais ta chambre se trouve dans qu'elle ville ? Où est-ce que tu vis, Reinette ?" (I thought so, Reinette. But where's you room? Where do you live Reinette?)

"Paris, bien sûr !" She replied with obviousness. (Paris, of course.)

I already loved her. And I felt more than I saw, the Doctor crouched down behind me to see the little girl in the fireplace. Rose was not so discreet and leaned over to look into the fireplace. The Doctor's hand went to my back, encouraging me to continue the discussion with Reinette.

"Mais madame, que faites-vous dans ma cheminée ?" (Miss, what are you doing in my fireplace?)

"Ne le dis à personne, mais j'essayais de faire de la magie, un moyen de voyager grâce au cheminée. J'essayais d'aller à Lyon depuis une cheminée de Toulouse!" I explained, finding an excuse a little more fanciful than that which the Doctor had given in the series. (Don't tell anyone, but I was trying to make some magic, a way to travel by the fireplace. I was trying to go to Lyon from a fireplace in Toulouse!)

And it seems that my excuse fascinated Reinette enormously because her eyes sparkled with excitement at the mention of magic.

"Magie, vraiment ?! Mais il semble que cela n'a pas bien marché, madame." (Magic, Really ?)

"Ce n'est que le début, Reinette. Il y a forcément des ratés ! Juste une dernière question légèrement idiote, pourrait-tu me dire en quel année je suis ?" (This is just the beginning, Reinette. There are bound to be failures! Just one last slightly silly question, can you tell which year it is?)

"Bien sûr, c'est l'année 1727!" She replied with intelligent eyes. (Of course, this is the year 1727)

"1727!" Intervenes the Doctor suddenly. "One of my favourite, although August is just rubbish, stays inside."

I gently hit the Doctor with my elbow before I spoke again.

"Merci pour tout, Reinette. Merci pour ton aide. Il est temps pour toi jeune fille d'aller dormir. Bonne nuit!" I said to her with a sweet smile and a wink. (Thank you for everything, Reinette. Thank you for your help. It's time for you, young girl to go to sleep. Good night.

"Bonne nuit, madame," she said before leaving. (Good night, miss)

I did the same and turned to the Doctor with a big smile on my lips.

"What was that?!" Exclaimed Mickey. "I absolutely didn't understand what Alvia said!"

"I spoke French, Mickey. I had missed it by the way. Now, how could I speak with Reinette who is in 1727 and I in the 51st century? This isn't normal."

"I also said earlier that the spaceship generates enough power to punch a hole in the universe. I think we just found the hole." Replied the Doctor, hands in pockets. "Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink."

"It makes sense," I confirmed, shaking my head.

"What's that?" Asked Mickey confused.

"He just created it because he didn't want to say magic door, which is pretty much the excuse I gave Reinette about why I was in her fireplace."

"And on the other side of this ... magic door," Rose continued, taking a deep voice on the last two words. "This is France 1727."

"Yup totally! The monarchy is still in place and I spoke French."

"Besides, why did the Tardis not translate what you said, it's supposed to translate all languages, you speak French constantly, right?"

"That's the thing, I don't speak French all the time. I speak English actually, that's why I have this accent. After talking for a long time in English, it's hard to get used to speaking French again."

"What are you talking about?" Asked Mickey with a frown.

"The time I spent at Jackie's while Rose was still gone," I replied with a shrug.

During this little conversation the Doctor went to throw his coat against a wall or a coat rack and came back to the fireplace. He seemed to be looking for a mechanism he found because a movement made me lose my balance enough for me to stand against the fireplace, next to the Doctor.

Rose called out to the Doctor as the room changed in a twisting motion.

"Couldn't you warn me?" I hissed softly while we were in a dark room.

The Doctor just gave me a sheepish smile and wandered around the room in silence. It was a little girl's room, there was a dollhouse and a bed. In this bed slept a young blonde, Reinette. She seemed so peaceful, having absolutely no idea that we were in her room. The Doctor walked to the windows and gently drew a curtain to get a better view. We were in Paris, I recognized the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. The Eiffel Tower has not yet been built. The sun was starting to rise, and the snow was falling outside.

"Snow..." I whispered softly with joy. "In my days, it had become rare to have it. Because of global warming ... Winters were getting more and more sad and gloomy."

A horse suddenly neighs, waking Reinette with a start. She gasped in surprise when she saw us at the window.

"Tout va bien ! C'est juste moi, Reinette ! Ne crie pas." I reassured quickly as the Doctor walked over to a candle to light it." Et c'est mon ami, le Docteur. Nous avons parlé un peu tout à l'heure, j'étais dans ta cheminée grâce à la magie," I continued, approaching my turn with a skeet smile. (_It's okay ! It's just me, Reinette ! __Don't scream. And this is my friend, the Doctor. We talked a little while ago, I was in your fireplace thanks to the magic)_

"Mais c'était il y a des semaines, des mois même !" (But it was weeks, even months ago)

"Really?" Asked the Doctor before heading to the fireplace to examine it.

"Je pense que je me suis encore loupée avec la magie, alors," I joked softly to bring a smile to Reinette's face. (I think I failed again with the magic again)

Which actually worked. I sat on the edge of the bed smiling at her as she giggled, and the Doctor continued to analyse the fireplace.

"Au moins tu as réussi à voyager de Toulouse jusqu'à Paris. Pourquoi est-elle surnommé la ville rose ?" (At least you managed to travel from Toulouse to Paris. Why is it nicknamed the Pink City ?)

"En fait c'est dû au brique utilisé pour faire les bâtiments. Elle sont faites en avec la terre cuite du sol de la région et à une certaine heures et une certaine lumière du soleil, les briques prennent la couleur d'un Rose léger jusqu'à un orange soutenue," I explained gently, taking one of his hands. (In fact, it is due to the brick used to make the buildings. They're made with terracotta from the soil of the region and at a certain time and a certain sunlight, the bricks take the color of a light pink until a sustained orange)

"J'aimerais visiter Toulouse un jour," confessed the child. (I'd like to visit Toulouse, one day)

"Okay, this is scary," said the Doctor suddenly.

Turning my head, I saw him observe a broken clock which was on the chimney. It was broken, and I could hear a deep ticking in the room. It was with all my control that I did not show my sudden fear so as not to frighten Reinette.

"Are you scared of a broken clock?" Asked the girl, doubtful.

"Just a bit, yeah. Just a little bit. Because you see, if it's broken, and it's the only clock in your room, then who owns that noise?" He said, looking for the source of the noise.

Reinette realized how frightening this situation was and I squeezed her hand gently to reassure her as she also looked for the source of the noise.

"Because it is not a clock. Continued the Doctor, moving again. "We can't hear the resonance, it's too big. Six feet, I would say. Size of a man."

"What's that?"

"Nothing you should take care of, Reinette. Because we're here," I reassured her, putting one of her locks behind her ears. "Doctor, find the source without making a monologue that might frighten her, she's a child."

"It is not my fault if I tend to speak," he said with slight indignation as he began to search, doing what I asked him to do.

He looked around the windows before realizing that there was nothing hiding there and that the only place to hide the source of the noise was under the bed.

"Reinette, stay in your bed," asked the Doctor, approaching to bend over. "Alvia, at least raise your feet to avoid being caught."

I nodded and slid my legs onto the bed. Reinette approached me, completely frightened and I took her in my arms. The Doctor got down on all fours, the screwdriver in one hand to scan. Something hit him suddenly, causing the Doctor to back away. Reinette gasped and made me tense violently as I saw the thing standing by the bed. It was damn scary, especially the mask.

I put my hand on Reinette's face so that she wouldn't look sideways while the Doctor informed us that I was standing by the bed.

"Doctor, get up."

"Stay where you are Alvia. Reinette, don't turn around," he said as he got up. "And you, don't move!"

The thing only observed Reinette. The Doctor glanced several times between Reinette and the thing before leaning over and grabbing Reinette's head between her hands, removing mine in the process.

"You've examined her brain!" Declared the Doctor in shock. "You've crossed two galaxies and millennia to scan a child's brain? What is in a little girl's brain to make a hole in the universe?"

"I don't understand, does that thing want me?" She asked, fear written on her face.

She turned to the masked thing, without flinching.

"You want me?"

The thing tilted its head slightly to the side before responding in a mechanical voice, close and yet distant from that of Cybermen.

"Not yet, you are still incomplete."

"Incomplete, what does it mean, incomplete?" Asked the Doctor suddenly, standing up.

The thing didn't answer and continued to fix Reinette.

"You can answer her and answer me. What do you mean by incomplete? "

The thing didn't respond but suddenly started to move.

"I think you pissed him off" I guessed as the Doctor pulled me off of the bed by the wrist.

The Doctor had threateningly held out his screwdriver and the masked thing did the same, it raised his arm and a blade came out of his arm suddenly, forcing the Doctor to tilt his head slightly away from him. Reinette begged the Doctor to be careful.

"Don't worry Reinette, many have threatened the Doctor and yet he's still here today," I added with a strained smile.

"It's just a nightmare, don't worry. Everyone has nightmares."

The thing moved forward, forcing us to move back to the fireplace and the Doctor to let go of my wrist.

"Even monsters have nightmares, right Monsters? "

The thing raised its arm and struck, its blade crashing into the fireplace.

"What are the nightmares of monsters?" Asked Reinette.

"US!" Replied the Doctor, activating the mechanism of the chimney, making us return to the ship.

As the masked thing tried to break free, the Doctor ran to a wall to retrieve some sort of firearm. By activating it sprayed ice on what had tried to attack us, and it convulsed in vain before stopping any movement, completely freezing.

I sighed in relief as Mickey praised the merits of the ice weapon and the Doctor corrected it by explaining that it was a fire extinguisher.

"Where did that thong come from?" Asked Rose.

"Here", replied the Doctor.

"So why is it dress like that?" Continued Mickey.

"Hiding itself in the 18th century, although the mask freaks out more than anything else," I explained as the Doctor removed the mask and the wig at the same time.

Then before our eyes appeared a plastic egg-shaped head with a mechanical system inside with golden cogs. The Doctor and I couldn't help but be amazed and admire the mechanism.

"Oh! You are beautiful!" Complimented the Doctor

"I confirm, I have never seen anything so impressive, imagine the rest of the body!" I added with admiration.

"No, really, without joking. You are gorgeous. Look at that!" Continued the Doctor, putting on his glasses. "Mechanism of the space age. I love it. I've got chills! "

"It looks like Steam punk."

"It's exactly that! Listen seriously. From the bottom of my heart and in my case, I have two, it would be a crime, vandalism to dismantle you," continued the Doctor before taking a last look and raising his sonic screwdriver. "But it's not going to stop me. "

Unfortunately for us, the mechanical droid started up again and after a movement of the head it suddenly teleported, disappearing from our sight and going elsewhere.

"Short range teleportation, It's still on this ship. Don't go looking for it!" Ordered the Doctor before taking my wrist again and pulling me towards the fireplace.

"Where are you going?" Rose asks with a hint of anger at the sight of the Doctor pulling me towards him.

"We come back quickly," he said simply before activating the mechanism, without giving details to anyone.

The landscape changed again and this time we were back in the room during the day. The room was bright, and it seemed that some objects had disappeared, like the doll's house. The Doctor called Reinette before being drawn to a harp and lazily running her fingers over the strings, playing some notes. A blonde woman in a vintage dress of cream and gold color entered. I offered her a smile, recognizing the woman, while the Doctor didn't even seem to notice her presence.

The young woman cleared her throat gently, finally drawing the Doctor's attention.

"Oh! Hello!" Greeted the Doctor, putting away his glasses. "Um, I was just looking for Reinette. Is it still his room? We moved away, I don't know how long."

Reinette wore an amused smile just like me, when the Doctor really didn't recognize the young woman. Unfortunately, this little pleasure ended quickly when Reinette's mother called her from outside.

"Reinette, we're ready to go!"

"Get in the carriage, mom, I'll meet you there!" Replied the young blonde.

An amazed smile grew on the Doctor's lips as he realized she was the girl five minutes ago.

"It is common, I think, to have imaginary friends and to see magic in childhood. You should be congratulated for your persistence," she teased.

"Hello Reinette, how are you?" I asked warmly.

"Very well and I see that your experience with magic is still not perfect."

"It never will be, I think," I said.

"Goodness, Reinette, you have grown!" Said the Doctor in amazement.

"You're lovely, Reinette," I complimented.

Reinette advanced and climbed the steps to get closer to us while she told us that it was rude on our part not to have aged. Her eyes watched the Doctor and me constantly, although she spent a little more time on me than the Doctor. It must have been because of the clothes I was wearing, after all, a girl in something other than a dress would be scandalous at that time. I have already been reprimanded by Queen Victoria for that.

"Sure, yes, sorry. Uh ... "stammered the Doctor, not knowing what to say. "Look, we're glad to see you again, but it would be better if we left, right? You wouldn't want your mother to find you with a pair of strangers, would you?"

"Unknown? How could you be unknown when have I known you since I was seven?"

"We only saw each other for an instant, Reinette," I said.

Suddenly her hand went to touch the cheek of the Doctor and stroked his cheekbone with his thumb before removing her hand and going towards me, also touching my cheek but placing one of my locks behind my ear. I glanced quickly at the Doctor, meeting his gaze before returning to Reinette. She seemed genuinely fascinated with us.

"You seem to be flesh and blood, but this is absurd. Reason tells me that you cannot be real."

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth," I quoted before being interrupted by one of the house servants.

"Mademoiselle? Your mother is getting impatient!"

"A moment!" Asserted the young woman suddenly annoyed.

She looked at the Doctor then looked at me.

"So many questions. So little time. "

And there she did something that will remain in my memory for the rest of my life. Instead of pulling the Doctor by his jacket and kissing him passionately and pushing him to the chimney, it was me that she kissed instead.

Her soft lips, which had a slight honey taste, crushed against mine and I groaned in surprise. I enjoyed that kiss, my eyes closed. So, I couldn't see the Doctor who seemed more than surprised, his mouth open to this spectacle. My hands that I didn't seem to know where to put went to her hips and the kiss ended suddenly, Reinette rushing to retrieve a small bag and leave the room and her house without looking back.

I was still stunned by the kiss, it was the first time I kissed a woman and I admit that the kiss was good. Not as good as the one I had with the Doctor after the incident, but definitely in high position if I had a Top. I licked my slightly swollen lower lip, still tasting honey from Reinette's lips when the servant entered the room asking who we were. The Doctor finally realized who Reinette really was, praising what she was going to be and went back to the fireplace to activate it.

"Who the hell are you?" Exclaimed the servant.

"I'm the Doctor and my friend Alvia has just snogged Madame de Pompadour!"

The landscape suddenly changed, finally returning to the ships without Rose or Mickey. I suddenly breathed, realizing that I had just been kissed with passion by an important feminine figure in the history of France.

"I kissed a girl! And I liked it!" I said with an incredulous laugh in my voice.

"You can rave afterwards; Rose and Mickey are gone!" He exclaimed before walking into the ship "We have a rule about that, do not venture! Rule # 1! There can be anything in this ship!"

Quickly taking my mind back I followed the Doctor who was sinking in the corridors before bumping into him as he stopped suddenly. By leaning a little to the side, I could see the cause. There was a white horse in the ship.

"Anything on this ship, like a horse?" I joked, gently knocking the Doctor on the elbow.

"What?! How did he get here?"

"Surely there must be other doors leading to the 18th century, so much energy cannot have made just one hole. "

"We have to find Rose and Mickey, quickly so he could fall into one of these holes, or worse," said the Doctor taking my hand.

"Droids or dinosaurs?" I half joked.

"Dinosaurs? Seriously?" Asked the Doctor, eyebrow raised.

"Dinosaurs on a spaceship, admit that it would be interesting."

"No chance of that happening, Alvia."

"Mmm ... the universe is full of mysteries," I whispered mysteriously.

The Doctor said nothing but rolled his eyes before resuming walking. We got around the horse which started following us immediately after we had passed it. At a corridor junction, the Doctor finally turns to the horse with irritation.

"Are you going to stop following us? We're not your parents!"

"He's probably lost, Doctor. Don't blame him, and it's better to follow us than the androids, don't you think?"

"Hm," hummed the Doctor, suddenly attracted by two white wooden doors. "He must come from here ..."

He opened the doors and I could only follow the Doctor, absolutely not wanting to be alone in a ship with the mechanical androids. The doors opened into a sort of garden which turned out to be that of Versailles, I leaned against a stone wall, observing the green park where there were some nobles, including two women side by side and laughing softly.

One of them turns towards us and it is thanks to the Doctor's reflex that we were not spotted. He suddenly grabbed my hips to pull me with him as he hid by the bush. I could feel his hearts beating against my back and I had absolutely no doubt that he could feel my heart beating. He picked us up gently after the two women walked away from a satisfactory distance but didn't remove his hand from me. Quite the opposite in fact, he took the opportunity to wrap his arm correctly around me. His chin rested against the top of my head and we watched the two women. I blushed softly as I wondered about the Doctor's actions.

"What do they say?" I whispered softly. "I don't hear anything they say."

"They talk about the possibility of becoming the new mistress of the King of France. Reinette is there, she is holding the cream-colored umbrella," answered the Doctor in the same tone.

We watched Reinette and her friend walk away, it was time to get back on the ship.

"Have you seen a horse?!" Suddenly asked a man behind us with a whip.

We barely had time to turn around and the Doctor answered, when the man in dark clothes, holding his whip, continued his tirade.

"I would whip him as if he was never whipped in his life, as soon as I find him. "

"Oh, I wish you never said that," groaned the Doctor before returning to the ship.

As soon as the Doctor moved away from the man enough, I grabbed his whip and whipped him suddenly and violently three times before throwing the whip.

"It hurts, doesn't it? Now I hope you won't hurt the horses anymore, I'm against animal abuse." I smirked mischievously before leaving to join the Doctor.

I returned to the ship to see the Doctor inform the horse of rule # 1. I smiled in amusement until the Doctor turned to me with a disapproving look.

"I don't like violence ..." he said.

"I know. But this is not the first time, nor the last time Doctor. I would make efforts just as it will be necessary to make concessions. "

He sighed in annoyance and abandonment, closing his eyes for a few moments before opening them again and heading off in one direction.

"Alvia, Arthur, come. "

"I prefer Roach, it suits him better. Or Sleipnir. "

"Nah, Arthur is a good name for a horse. "

And we wrestled with the subject of the name for the horse until it became ridiculous and we finally find Rose and Mickey, who had the fire extinguisher in his arms, watching through a window.

"My god look at this guy. Who does he think he is?" Spoke Mickey.

"The King of France," replied the Doctor, making them jump.

"Oh, here's the trouble. What were you doing?"

"Oh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that," vaguely evoked the Doctor. "Alvia and I became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat, I fought with an automaton, Alvia was kissed ..." listed the Doctor with a slight touch of jealousy on my part, before being cut of by a neigh. "Oh, and we've met a horse. "

"Have you been kissed? By who?" Asked Rose.

"People, what does a horse do in a ship?" Mickey asks in amazement.

"A girl. Replied the Doctor with annoyance and a hint of sarcasm. "Mickey, what is France doing with the old regime in a spaceship? Take a step back. "

He suddenly pointed to the window.

"But do you see that? It's everywhere on this ship, on every deck. Doors to History. But not only the history with a capital H. But hers," he said, suddenly placing his fingers against the glass, showing Reinette.

You could see Reinette bow before the King, before an inaudible discussion began, but certainly with flirting. Reinette radiated charm and sensuality, she was magnificent. No wonder I fell in love with her. I think I could love women as well as men, although I preferred the male gender.

"Time windows. Deliberately dotted around the life of this woman. A 51st century vessel tracking an 18th century woman. Why?"

"Who is she?"

"Jean-Antoinette Poisson," I replied before the Doctor. "Reinette for her friends. She is known as Madame de Pompadour. She was for a time the mistress of the King and gave her support to important writers of French history and literature, such as Voltaire, Montesquieu or Diderot. "

"She is an accomplished woman," commented the Doctor, as we watched the King go. "I think it was the night of their meeting, the night of the Bal des Ifs. In a short time, she will be the official favourite with her apartment in the palace as well as her own title. Madame de Pompadour. "

Reinette approached the window, smoothing her dress, nervous.

"The Queen was to worship him," Rose commented with sarcasm as an intention.

"They really adore each other, very well even. "

"The king's wife and his mistress? "

"France is another planet - Oi!" He exclaimed, as I slapped his arm.

"Don't insult my country!" I warned him, finger in the air for the only threat.

He rubbed his aching arm, sulky, when suddenly the thud of the android was heard. The Doctor suddenly noticed the broken clock as well as Reinette who turned in fear towards a figure standing in the corner of the room, in the shade.

"How long have you been there? Show yourself!" Demanded Reinette.

The thing turned over and it was indeed one of the androids of the spaceship, different from the first met. The Doctor grabbed Mickey's fire extinguisher and turned the window to enter Reinette's time and spray the ice droid.

"Hello, Reinette! You are as ravishing as the last time!" I bowed, moving it as far away from the right as possible.

"Mon Renard ! Homme de cheminée !" She exclaimed. (My Fox! Fireplace man!)

The Doctor threw the fire extinguisher at Mickey as soon as the droid was no longer able to move. On the other hand, the droid began to click and roar loudly. Mickey asked what the robot was doing, and the Doctor replied that he was melting the ice before he could kill everyone in the room. The robot's right arm suddenly Rose in the direction of the Doctor's throat, blade out, and the Doctor jumped back before backing up a little to protect Reinette and I, on the same occasion.

"Who are you? Identify yourself?" Demanded the Doctor.

The robot tilted its head but did not answer.

"Reinette, order the droid to answer us," asked the Doctor, turning to us.

"Why would he listen to me?"

"He did it when you were a kid, maybe it's still relevant?" I tried, holding Reinette's hand, drawing a disdainful look from Rose.

Reinette nodded and looked at the droid seriously and courageously.

"Answer his question," she ordered. "Answer any questions you may be asked."

The droid lowered his arm and finally spoke.

"I am Repair Droid 7."

"What happened to the ship, then?" Asked the Doctor. "It was badly damaged. "

"Ionic storm. 82% of systems failed. "

"But the ship hasn't moved for more than a year. Why is it taking so long? "

"We didn't have the parts. "

Mickey laughed suddenly, laughing that in the end it always came down to the lack of materials. The interrogation continued, the Doctor asked where the crew was, and the droid only replied:

"We didn't have the parts. "

The Doctor insisted, receiving the same response from the droid until he finally understood and stopped in the middle of his sentence.

"You didn't have the parts, so you used the crew ..."

Reinette and Mickey looked horrified while Rose was shocked. Mickey didn't seem to want to understand and asked for an explanation before Rose intervened and told us that she had seen a camera with an eye and a beating heart plugged into the machinery. The Doctor said the droids were just doing their job, repairing the ship at all costs with whatever it found, including the crew; he also commented on the smell of cooked meat, pairing it with a barbecue. I put a hand on my mouth, repelling as best I could the nausea that settled in me. Reinette didn't look well, she seemed slightly ill because of it all.

The Doctor continued in his interrogation, asking what they were doing here, why open time windows when it was taking a lot of energy and especially why come to France in the 18th century? The masked robot replied that an extra piece was needed before his face suddenly turned towards Reinette. Everyone turned to the woman behind me.

"Why didn't you take her?" Asked the Doctor.

"She's not complete."

"So, what? Is that your plan? Just keep opening time windows and scanning her brain to make sure it's ready? "

"Why she?" Asked Rose suddenly with slight brutality. "Why Reinette specifically, you have the whole story to choose from."

"We are the same," replied the robot.

"We are not the same. We have nothing in common!" Replied Reinette, outraged.

The robot repeated again that they were identical and Reinette seemed to have had enough. Angry, she ordered the robot to leave immediately. The droid obeyed and teleported out of the room, probably returning to the ships with the other droids. The Doctor then ordered Mickey and Rose and the horse to follow the Android, not to approach it but to just watch what it was doing.

"Arthur?" Asked Rose, confused.

"A good name for a horse!" Answered the Doctor

"No, you're not keeping the horse!" Replied Rose, exasperated.

"And his name is Roach!" I added, looking at the Doctor, still not agreeing on the name of the horse.

"I'll let you keep Mickey! Go, go, go!" He said, gesturing.

Rose and Mickey returned to the ship through the portal and the Doctor closed behind them before returning to my side and that of Reinette.

"Reinette, you're going to have to trust me. I need to know what they are looking for."

"Her age, they are looking for her age," I said suddenly. "The droid said that Reinette wasn't complete, that means that she is missing something, that must have to do with her age. "

"Why would my age be so important?" Asked the main concerned.

Answering now would do a lot of damage and the Doctor seemed to realize it because he was helping me answer without sounding suspicious.

"Maybe by looking into your memories Reinette, we will know. They have been there for a long time in your life, maybe at some point they told you about their intentions without you noticing. "

"You would go see my memories?" Asked Reinette with slight fear. "Is it safe?"

"Have no fear, Reinette," I reassured her. "The Doctor has already gone to my mind several times, there is nothing to fear at all. "

"If you're so sure my Renard, then I trust you," she declared after swallowing gently.

The Doctor placed his fingers against her temples, as he had done with me, and closed his eyes followed by Reinette. I stepped back to give them space and not to disturb them during this procedure.

"Homme de cheminée..." Reinette gasped softly. "You are in my mind. "

"Oh, dear Reinette. You had cowboys in here. "

"You are in my memories, you're walking among them. "

"If you don't want me to see something, imagine a door and close it. I would not look through this door. "

Unlike the series, Reinette did not seem to amuse herself by showing some memories that the Doctor would have warned to hide behind a door.

"Browse the memory of another soul. Do you do it frequently? "

"I'm trying not to make it a habit, but Alvia seems to want to break the record on that. "

"Not consciously," I muttered loud enough to be heard.

"I know it, Alvia ..."

Reinette suddenly starts and the Doctor quickly apologizes, explaining that side effects such as the return of old memories to the surface could occur. It was then that Reinette seemed to be remembering the Doctor because she mentioned such a lonely childhood.

"This will pass. Stay with me," reassured the Doctor.

"Oh, Doctor. So lonely, so alone."

"What do you mean, alone? You have never been alone. "

The Doctor's eyes suddenly opened, realizing the thing.

"When did you start calling me Doctor? "

"A boy so lonely," Reinette continued. "So lonely before but not anymore ... You have your fox with you now."

My mind tilted at the mention of the fox again. She had nicknamed me like that recently ... the note on the board in my room will have to be told to the Doctor, it was becoming more than urgent. If something so big and like Bad Wolf happened, I had to warn the Doctor, no matter what the Fox was.

"How did you do this?" Asked the Doctor, cutting the mental connection.

"An open door can be crossed on both sides. Oh, Doctor ... my lonely Doctor and my Fox." Reinette continues, glancing at me filled with tenderness and affection. "Dance with me. "

"We can't," refused the Doctor.

"Dance with me." Repeated Reinette adamantly.

"It's the night you dance with the King! "

"I would, but after making him jealous," confessed Reinette with a touch of mischief.

"We can't," continued the Doctor.

"Doctor. Doctor who?" She said sadly, looking at him. "It's more than a secret, isn't it? The one and only secret to which Alvia is unable to answer…"

"You know?" I breathed suddenly in shock.

She turned to me and walked over, placing her hand on my cheek.

"I saw in his mind how important you became to him and why."

I met the Doctor's eyes. Why did I feel that what she had revealed to me was something huge and important?

"What did you see, Reinette?" I dared to ask, staring at the Doctor again.

"I saw that there comes a time when every lonely little boy has to learn to dance with his fox." Reinette smiled. "And where the fox has to be metamorphosed. "

So, she went to take my hand and pulled me gently with her to get away from this room. I looked frantically at the Doctor following us and Reinette, not knowing what to do.

"Reinette! Where are you taking me?" I asked with slight anguish.

"You used your magic to come here, I would use mine to transform you!" She teased.

"What?! B-But! Doctor help me! "

When I arrived in a sort of room, Reinette dragged me with her and prevented the Doctor from entering.

"The Doctor will go to the ballroom, waiting for us to come back," Reinette decided. "We will be there for the dance. "

She slammed the doors in the Doctor's nose, surprised. I heard the Doctor's steps against the ground after a few seconds as he slowly walked away.

"Reinette_ ._.." I groaned. "Je ne sais même pas danser !" (_I don't even know how to dance_!)

"Eh bien, cela sera aussi ton tour d'apprendre. Déshabille-toi, maintenant. La noblesses ainsi que le Roi et la Reine serait choqué et outré de te voir dans une telle tenue. " (_Well, it will also be your turn to learn. __Undress now. The nobility as well as the King and the Queen would be shocked and outraged to see you in such an outfit_.)

"Tu ne me fera pas porter une robe comme la tienne !" I panicked, guessing Reinette's plans. " c'est trop imposant pour moi! " (_You will not make me wear a dress like yours! __It's too big for me_ !)

"Malheureusement autant que je l'aimerais, aucune des robes que je portes habituellement seront de ta taille. D'autant plus que je n'ai ni paniers pour toi, ni corsage." She said, rummaging for a dress my size. " Maintenant, tais-toi donc mon Renard. La seule chose que tu pourras garder sont tes chaussures. " (_Unfortunately, as much as I would like, none of the dresses I usually wear will be your size. Especially since I have neither pannier for you, nor corset. Now quiet, my Fox. The only thing I allow you to keep are your shoes_.)

I took a look at the pair I was wearing. For once I had exchanged my usual pairs of converses and vans for a pair of black leather heeled oxfords. Half reluctantly, I undressed, staying only in my underwear waiting for the outfit that Reinette was preparing for me.

She helped me put on a deep green French cut dress with few frills on it. The square neckline made me feel a bit uncomfortable because it was deep enough and let my breast be seen more than I wanted. Reinette asked me to remove my chain containing the Tardis key and my ring, and then tie a gold and emerald necklace around my neck. The necklace was cold and heavy against my skin. Reinette amused herself by styling my hair in a sort of updo from that time with a slight volume; she couldn't do much about it because my hair was way too short for the 18th century. Fortunately, she did not touch my makeup.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I felt like I was another person. Reinette put her hands gently against my shoulders and smiled at me through the mirror.

"Mon Renard est finalement transformé," She declared, satisfied with her work. (_My Fox is finally transformed_)

"Reinette? D'où t'est venus ce surnom pour moi ?" I finally asked, turning my face to her. (_Reinette? Where did this nickname come from for me_)

"Je ne sais pas, cela m'est venue comme ça. Je trouvais que cela t'allais parfaitement," she replied before placing a light kiss on my lips. (_I don't know, it came to me like that. I thought it suited you perfectly)_

I blushed from the kiss.

"Allons rejoindre le bal, nous ne devons pas faire attendre le Roi ainsi que le Docteur. Cela serait impolie de notre part," she said suddenly, presenting her arm to me. (_Let's go to the ball, we must not keep the King and the Doctor waiting. It would be rude on our part_)

So, I took her arm and we left the room before heading to the ballroom. On the way I admired the palace that was Versailles, I had never had the opportunity to visit it before.

"Je pense que je préfère te prévenir, mais moi et la royauté cela ne marche pas vraiment. J'ai eu des problèmes avec la Reine d'Angleterre auparavant." (_I think I prefer to warn you, but me and royalty don't really work. I've had problems with the Queen of England before)_

"La Reine Anne?" She said surprised. "Cela est étonnant. " (_Queen Anne? This is interesting)_

"Non, pas elle… plus comme la futur reine," I mumbled before suddenly shutting up. " Oh mon dieu, la boulette que je viens de faire… _"_ I groaned as I realized the mistake I had just made. "S'il te plait, ne dit pas au Docteur ce que je viens de te révéler, ni à qui que ce soit d'ailleurs. " (_No, not her ... more like the future queen. __Oh my god, the dumpling I just made... Please don't tell the Doctor what I just told you, or anyone else_.)

"Je comprends. Ne t'inquiète pas tes secrets sont en sécurité avec moi," she reassured. (_I understand. Don't worry your secrets are safe with me)_

"Merci beaucoup…" I thanked with sincerity and relief. "Je ne voudrais vraiment pas modifier l'Histoire, surtout que le Docteur le saurais immédiatement. " (_Thank you very much… I really don't want to change history, especially since the Doctor would know immediately)_

"Parlons du Docteur, qu'est-ce que tu ressent envers lui ?" She asked with a slight smile in her voice. "Plus que de l'amitié, je le sais, ne me mens pas. " (_Let's talk about the Doctor, how do you feel about him. More than friendship, I know, don't lie to me)_

I stammered, hoping to deny any attraction to him, but Reinette's gaze told me that she didn't believe me. I sighed before I finally confessed.

"D'accord, je ressent des choses pour lui. Je sais que je ne devrais pas, mais je ne peux m'en empêcher." (_Okay, I feel things for him. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it.)_

"Que ressens-tu?" (_What do you feel?)_

"Parfois, c'est comme si mon cœur loupais un battement, parfois ma poitrine se réchauffe et je rougis. Je ne peux deviner que c'est de l'amour, mais je n'en suis pas sûr. J'ai aimé un garçon il y a quelque années et maintenant quand j'y repense je me demande si je l'ai vraiment aimée ? Je n'arrive pas à savoir si j'aime le Docteur." (Sometimes_ it's like my heart misses a beat, sometimes my chest warms, and I blush. I can't guess it's love, but I'm not sure. I loved a boy a few years ago and now when I think about it I wonder if I really loved him? __I can't figure out if I like the Doctor.)_

"Le fait que tu te poses ces question prouve que tu l'aime." Reinette advised wisely. "Et je pense et sais qu'il en ressent la même chose. Le seule conseil que je puisse t'offrir est de lui déclarer ce que tu ressent. " (The_ fact that you ask yourself these questions proves that you love him. And I think and know he feels the same. The only advice I can offer you is to tell him how you feel.) _

"J'aimerais tant… Mais il n'aurais pas dû ressentir ça pour moi… Cela aurait dut être Rose." (_I would love so much ... But he shouldn't have felt that for me ... __It should have been Rose.)_

"Elle est la fille blonde qui vous accompagne ?" Guessed Reinette. "J'ai vu ses regard noirs et méprisant qu'elle te jetait quand le Docteur ne faisait pas attention. Je ne pense pas qu'elle serait bonne pour le Docteur. " (_Is she the blonde girl who accompanies you? I saw her dark and contemptuous looks that she threw at you when the Doctor was not paying attention. I don't think it would be good for the Doctor.)_

"Je suis encore moins bonne que Rose. Rien que ma présence change des choses, les sentiments du Docteur en premier !" I revealed with anguish and concern. (_I'm even worse than Rose. Nothing that my presence changes things, the feelings of the Doctor first!)_

Reinette suddenly stopped and faced me, her hands against my cheeks.

"Je ne prétends pas savoir ce que tu sais ni ce que tu vis, mon Renard. Mais sache qu'il y a des forces, plus puissante qui gère la vie et le monde. Si ces forces voulaient que tu sois là avec le Docteur, changeant ce que tu sembles savoir. Alors il faut les laisser faire, car combattre le Destin ne sert à rien, il gagnera la bataille d'une autre façon," she said to me with the intention of questioning me. "Il faut accepter que parfois, tu n'es pas maitre de ton destin et laisser aller. Tu comprends?" (_I don't pretend to know what you know or what you're going through, my Fox. But know that there are more powerful forces that manage life and the world. If these forces wanted you to be there with the Doctor, changing what you seem to know. So, let them do it, because fighting Destiny is useless, he will win the battle in another way_. _You have to accept that sometimes you are not in control of your destiny and let go. You understand?)_

I nodded after a few minutes. Maybe Reinette was right. That I had to let go and live what I was living with the Doctor, without worrying about the rest. But it seemed so difficult to give up now, not to worry about the future, not to know if it was correct and not to know if certain events will take place or not. I was playing with the future of the universe and reality itself, making sure we were still living, and Reinette advised me to live what I wanted deep inside. My deepest desire ... It seemed so selfish, to let myself be tempted and succumb to the peach that to love the Doctor was. Reinette was the snake that whispered in my ear to reach the Doctor, as if it were the apple and me Eve.

"Derrière ces portes se trouve le bal," she informed me. "Allons rendre jaloux nos hommes. " (_Behind these doors is the ball. Let's make our men jealous.)_

"Le Docteur n'est pas mon homme," I mumbled, red on my cheeks. (_The Doctor is not my man)_

"Tout comme le Roi ne l'est pas pour moi, pas encore en tout cas," she replied mischievously. (_Just like the King is not for me, not yet anyway.)_

We finally entered the ballroom, where there were monarchs and nobles, musicians, King and Queen. Some danced to music, others talked to each other while some drank and ate. The French courts seemed alive and happy.

Reinette led me to the Doctor, who was installed near the appetizers, looking slightly lost.

"Homme de cheminée, I told you that I would transform our Fox and I did it," called Reinette.

The Doctor turned his head towards us and seemed to be gasping for breath when he saw me. I nervously smoothed the dress that Reinette had lent me.

"Hey, Doctor," I greeted hesitantly.

"Alvia..." whispered the Doctor. "You are beautiful," He complimented.

My cheeks became even redder if possible and I offered him a delighted and shy smile.

"Really?"

"Yes, this dress looks good on you and I like this haircut," he said, brushing some strands with his fingers.

Reinette finally intervened by clearing her throat, interrupting the moment reluctantly but with an amused smile on her lips.

"Doctor, would you like to be my dance partner? After all, I plan to make the King jealous. "

The Doctor nodded without forgetting to promise me that he would come back to my side. So, I found myself alone in the crowd of nobles who discussed and laughed happily. I felt like a lost lamb in a crowd of wolves, imagining their looks when it didn't seem like I was getting their attention.

"Un verre de vin, mademoiselle ?" Offered a man, handing me a glass. _(Glass of wine miss ?)_

Looking up to thank the man who handed me a drink, I realized that he was not a servant but the King. The fucking King of France. One of my Kings.

"Merci beaucoup," I stammered. (_Thank you very much.)_

"Vous êtes venue en compagnie de Mademoiselle Poisson n'est-ce pas ? Car je ne semble pas reconnaitre votre visage." _(You came with Miss Poisson, right? Because I don't seem to recognize your face)_

"Non, votre majesté, je suis une amie d'enfance de Reinette et elle a eu la gentillesse de m'inviter ici avec mon ami." (_No, your majesty, I am a childhood friend of Reinette and she was kind enough to invite me here with my friend)_

"L'homme qui danse avec elle je suppose ?" (_The man who dances with her, I presume_?)

"Effectivement." (_Indeed_)

"Puis-je vous demander d'où vous venez ? Je n'arrive pas à mettre le doigts sur votre accent." (_Can I ask you where you come from? I can't put my finger on your accent_.)

"Oh, je viens de Toulouse, votre majesté. Et si je n'ai pas l'accent de la région c'est parceque j'ai vécu jusqu'à mes dix à Lyon et que depuis un peu plus d'un ans je voyage avec mon ami et parle anglais," I explained before drinking my wine. (_Oh, I'm from Toulouse, your majesty. And if I do not have the accent of the region, it is because I lived until my ten in Lyon and that for a little over a year I have been traveling with my friend and speak English.)_

The wine was burning my throat a little. It was different from the wine I used to drink.

"Je vois et votre ami vous a laissée seule ici. C'est mon devoir en tant que Roi de ne pas abandonner mon peuple et mes sujets. M'honoreriez-vous donc d'une dance? " (_I see, and your friend left you alone here. It is my duty as King not to abandon my people and my subjects. Would you honor me with a dance?)_

We don't say no to the King, even if I wanted to and my instincts were screaming. So, I put down my glass and accepted the hand that the King extended. He accompanied me on the dance floor.

"Je dois vous confesser mon Roi, que je ne sais absolument pas danser," I confessed with a sheepish smile. (_I must confess to you my King, whom I absolutely cannot dance_.)

The King gave me a reassuring smile and said to me.

"Il est toujours temps d'apprendre, suivez mes gestes et mes pas. Tout ira bien. " (_There is always time to learn, follow my actions and my steps. Everything will be alright_)

The King was considerate and smiled at me just by helping me correct myself for every mistake I made. I could see that despite the attention he paid me, his attention was focused on Reinette who was dancing with the Doctor. Finally came the moment in the dance when we had to exchange partners. The King found himself with Reinette and I found myself with the Doctor. Fortunately for me, the Doctor preferred to withdraw us from the dance floor and remove monarchs. The Doctor actually preferred to take me to a room where we would be alone, but where we could still hear the music playing.

"Finally, we are back together," greeted the Doctor tenderly. "As I promised. "

"Yes indeed."

"And you drank wine" he scolded lightly.

"I don't think you can deny the King anything, especially the King of his own country. "

"You grew up and lived in the republic and I remember that you were not really for the monarchy. "

"It is difficult to love the monarchy and all that implies, when the history of his country tells the end of this same monarchy. We French decapitated our King and our Queen and established the Republic, it is not nothing anyway. "

"Indeed... from this point of view," conceded the Doctor.

We fell into a pleasant silence accompanied by music from the ballroom. The Doctor had put his hands on my waist and my hands on his arms. The Doctor started to swing us on an inaudible waltz for my ears and I put my head against his chest, appreciated his warmth, the rhythm of his hearts and his smell. That smell that indicated it was the Doctor and no one else, a unique smell mixed with that of Time. Reinette's words and advice came back to my mind, maybe it was an opportunity to reveal everything, to confess to the Doctor what I felt? In the worst case, we would end this adventure and I would ask to be dropped off in Cardiff, to hide in shame and cry all the tears of my body in Jack's arm. I hesitated, and I hated this hesitation, I would hate to miss this opportunity, but I don't know what to do or what to say ...

I moved my head, lifting it up and resting my chin against his chest. I watched the Doctor quietly as he watched me in silence. Her eyes sparkled with emotion and tenderness. I don't know how I could live if these things disappeared from the Doctor's eyes when he looked at me. I don't know how I could survive the pain of knowing he was giving those looks to someone else. I backed up slightly, opening my mouth to speak, say something, say anything as long as it makes sense. My words did not come, my mind was empty, and my throat seemed to have closed without my being aware of it.

_Oh, fuck it._ I thought before I decided and act.

I grabbed the edge of the Doctor's suit and tiptoed before putting my lips against his. I waited a few seconds before moving my lips against his and receiving a response. The Doctor's arms wrapped around my body and pulled me closer to him as he deepened the kiss. I did well to act, I have absolutely no regrets. One of my hands climbed up to his neck and played with his hair a bit. The kiss ended when I ran out of air, but the smile I had on my lips, which must have been identical to that of the Doctor, said it all. The Doctor rested his forehead against mine, and we closed our eyes enjoying this moment.

I kissed him again, just placing my lips against his in a soft kiss before I pulled out and laughed happily. A weight from my shoulders seemed to fly away as the Doctor simply stroked my cheek.

"I've wanted to do this for a while..." I whispered softly, as if speaking louder could break this moment.

"Since when?" He asked with tender curiosity.

"The beginning?" I chuckled.

The Doctor too giggled and everything seemed so simple.

"Are we one thing? Not that I want to put a name to it now, it's too early..." I asked with a small smile.

"If you want. I would be delighted if we were a "thing"..." he replied with a tender and joyful smile.

"The Doctor and his companion," I said, my chest swelling with joy and love. "Yet it is so obvious. "

"The Doctor and his Fox," corrected the Doctor. "Much more than just a companion," he said before kissing me passionately.

His lips were as I remembered, as were his kisses and every facial expression he could have. I knew them before he even knew it.

The Doctor smiled, and I did the same. He dragged me with him to return to the dance hall where the fun was at its height. Were far from the noble ball with some giggles here and there, it was now a holiday worthy of the feria in Spain. The laughter was loud, the songs were plentiful, and the dancing was not full of grace. Alcohol was flowing, and we were having fun. For a moment I never imagined that I had left my house and my country. For a moment, when I closed my eyes I imagined myself in summer, wearing a completely white outfit with a scarf, a beret and a red belt, with a glass of alcohol in my hands, a song that broke my throat and laughter. I imagined myself with my family and my friends, happy and drunk with joy.

I do not know how long we stayed in Versailles during the night of the Bal des Ifs. But long enough for my mind to float because of alcohol. The Doctor had at one point give up on his duty not to make me drink. But like all good things came to an end, that moment was not the exception. We didn't say goodbye to Reinette when we left. I changed, returning with great joy to my pants, leaving a note for him and left with the Doctor. We weren't very sober when we got back on the ship. The Doctor had long abandoned his tie which ended around my neck loosely, his shirt was out of his pants, his hair ruffled, and he wore a pair of glasses that did not belong to him. I was in a state almost similar to the Doctor, apart from the tie, the buttons on my shirt were undone at the neckline, my modesty having long disappeared after the third glass; my pants were not buttoned, I had already struggled to put them on, and my hair was simply in firecracker, I would have made a good imitation of the Disney heroine in Brave. My chain with my key and my rings was in my back pocket, my fingers being too nimble to handle the chain latch ...

We were both holding glasses, his being empty and mine still filled with alcohol. Standing awkwardly against the wall, the Doctor poured a wine-like liquid that he said was not wine. So, we went in search of Mickey and Rose as well as the Droids of the ship. When the Doctor raised his hand to indicate that we were close, the Doctor put his arm around my shoulders and my arm wrapped around his waist; he leaned toward me, leaning a little and started to sing drunk before continuing to move forward.

"I could have danced all night! ... And I still have begged for mooree! I could have spread my wings! And done a…"

As we arrived in the main room, now in full view, the Doctor caught me as if we were dancing a stuffed waltz and I chuckled as I made sure to hold my glass of wine as if it were the Holy Grail.

"Have you met the French?" Asked the Doctor. "My God! They know how to party! "

"Yes, we know, my dear!" I giggled madly before pressing myself against the Tardis with a dreamy smile and drinking my glass. "You're not bad yourself!" I added with a touch of flirt and a wink.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged, the Oncoming Storm," Rose said sarcastically, glaring at me and the Doctor.

"You sound just like your mother," he remarked, distastefully.

"What were you doing? Where were you?" Asked Rose dryly, to the Doctor.

"Well ..." he began, emphasizing the first words. "In addition to many other things, I think I invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries earlier and Alvia danced with the king of her country, a pretty dance by the way!"

Rose dropped her head against the thing she was tied to, furious at us. The Doctor got up a bit and approached before leaning towards her.

"Did you know they had never seen a banana before? Always bring a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are good. "

"Good source of potassium!" I chuckled before leaving in a laugh while drinking my glass.

I correct what I said, this glass will knock me down. The alcohol in this wine seems stronger than I thought. My mind was starting to float.

"Exactly! Brilliant!" Congratulated the Doctor before noticing the robot near him. "Alvia! Look! He's our robot! Our favourite, really! You are the best and you know why? "

"He's so thick!" I added, pointing with my fingers and holding my stomach with the arm that held my glass.

"You're Mister Thick, Thick, Thickity, Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania." Said the Doctor before adding. "So's your dad! "

The Doctor walked away from the droid and walked around the room.

"Do you know why they're scanning Reinette's brain? her milometer. They want to know his age. You know why? Because this ship is 37 years old. And they think that when Reinette is 37, when she is complete, then her brain will be compatible. Because that's what you're missing, huh?! The control circuit, your computer. Your ship needs a brain. "

"And only Madame de Pompadour's brain is useful, and I know why, but I wouldn't say it, spoilers!" I sang with the effects of alcohol.

The droid threatening Rose's life with his blade suddenly spoke.

"The brain is compatible. "

"Compatible?" Asked the Doctor, coming closer. "If you believe that, you also believe that it is a glass of wine and that Alvia is drunk. "

He suddenly removed the robot's mask and poured the wine into the gears of the droid's head. The interior watchmaking creaked until it stopped. The Doctor put on his mask and wig and the droid leaned over, no longer working.

"Multi-use anti-oil. If it moves, it doesn't," the Doctor explained simply as Rose and Mickey sighed in relief at the end of the Doctor's acting.

"I think I'm more than drunk ..." I informed with a sheepish smile. "I'm going to put this glass down and don't touch it for the moment. I envy you to quickly sober up. "

"Was the wine too strong?" The Doctor asked with an amused smile as he released Rose and her boyfriend. "Come on, you two, daydreaming enough. It's time to turn off the ship."

"Are those things safe?" Mickey asks to check.

"Yep, exactly. Out of use and stupid. The way I like them. "

He went to the console of the ship.

"Okay, the windows are controlled from here. You have to close them all," he said before rummaging through his pockets, looking for something. "My Zeus plugs. Where are my Zeus plugs? "

"You used them as castanets to entertain one of the duchies," I reminded, continuing to stand against the Tardis, making sure I didn't fall asleep against her.

Rose asked why the robots hadn't opened a window when she was 37 years old and the Doctor replied that the ship was far too damaged to properly calibrate their blow and that it was already a chance to have arrived in the right century. Suddenly the Doctor notices that the windows are closing and wondering why. We learned that one of the droids remaining on the ground had finally found the right window and that time was running out. The droids in the room woke up and teleported back to when Reinette was 37 years old.

The Doctor looked for a window to warn Reinette and sent Rose there to warn her and at the same time found the window of Reinette's 37 years old. It was via a mirror which was in the same room where we were. The Doctor searched for a way to connect the audio and sent Mickey to get Rose.

"Did you find him, then?" Asked Rose without preamble

"They knew I was coming, they blocked it. "

"But how did they get in?"

"Teleportation," I groaned, rubbing my temples because of a headache from alcohol and the screams.

"As long as the ship and the ballroom are connected, they can teleport from close range!"

"Let's use the Tardis," proposed Rose.

"Impossible, we are part of the events," countered the Doctor by scanning a screen with his screwdriver.

"Can't we break the mirror?" Asked Mickey.

"Hyperplex on this side, armoured glass on the other. We need a truck! "

"We don't have a truck. "

"I KNOW!" Exploded the Doctor.

"We can try something else!" Rose tried to find a solution.

"No, break the mirror, break the time window. There will be no return path. "

Suddenly a hot breath stroked my cheek as I watched the trio look for a way to save Reinette. Reinette who had also spoken. Turning to the source of the warm breath I saw Arthur /Roach at my side; his head hit hard against my shoulder and no one except me seemed to have noticed his presence. I gently flattered his cheek and scratched the area above his nostrils as I watched Reinette's speech.

"Doctor," I called without drawing the attention of Rose and Mickey.

He turned his head quickly, his eyebrows rising in surprise when he saw the horse. He approached quickly, and I handed him the reins of the horse.

"It is a round trip ..." he said with a sudden sadness in his eyes.

"It's a round trip for all who aren't The Doctor." I corrected him before placing my hand against his cheek. "Go and save Reinette ... I trust you to come back."

The Doctor blinked without saying anything before grabbing the reins I offered him. I was going to remove my hand from his cheek when he grabbed my neck and then put his lips on mine in a fiery kiss that seemed to last a lifetime and whose feeling of touch lasts even after the end. But it lasted at most a few seconds before he retired and climbed on that of Arthur / Roach before galloping towards the mirror which was destroyed at the meeting and which no longer left the Doctor the possibility of entering through this portal. The window overlooking Reinette's 37 years old no longer broadcast any image or sound and was permanently broken.

" What happened? Mickey asks Rose. "Where did the window go? How will he come back? "

But Rose didn't answer, instead she looked at the broken mirror as if she had lost everything in her life. I cracked my neck and shoulders, stopping to rest against the Tardis.

"He'll come back, Mickey," I reassured Mickey. "Don't worry, you won't be able to on this spaceship lost in the depths of space and at the wrong time. "

"How can you know?" Asked Rose curtly, turning to me.

A tear had trickled from her eye, slightly spoiling her thick mascara.

"Tell me, how can you know that?! Huh?! "

"You know that perfectly well, I have a vague memory that the Doctor revealed it to you, Sarah-Jane and Finch. Don't be ignorant," I growled at Rose's tone and black look.

"I have more than enough of you!" She finally snapped. "Always have the right words! The right questions! How can you know everything?! "

"BECAUSE I DO!" I shout suddenly.

"Why didn't you tell us what was going on here?! Why didn't you tell us from the start?! Because of you the Doctor is gone, and he won't come back! "

"Knowing things doesn't mean spoiling what's going to happen. Time doesn't work like that. "

"It's easy for you to say that!" She sneered wickedly. "How can we trust you?! You manipulate everything so that everything goes as you planned! And if that happens, all the deaths we have experienced during our adventures have been planned by you! Including my father! "

"HOW DARE YOU? How dare you tell me that?! Do you think it's easy to know how people are going to die when you're next to them?! Do you think it's easy to choose between a person and the rest of the universe?! NO, ROSE ISN'T EASY!" I yelled finally.

"AND WHAT ABOUT MY FATHER?! "

"You should never have saved him in the first place!" I yelled at HER. "If I hadn't been there, dying and sick like a dog because of the paradox that YOU created, if I hadn't pushed the Doctor aside to avoid the Reaper it would have been him who would have disappeared! You accuse me of manipulating people and their dead, but do you know how many people I saved? How many people are still alive thanks to this knowledge, huh?! "

"And yet the Doctor disappeared because of you! It's your fault! "

"I let him do it because I knew he was going to come back! No matter the pre-knowledge or not! He's able to find a way to return! So, stop accusing me like I'm the cause of all the evils in this universe; because I've had enough of this, Rose. Enough of your dark looks, enough of your damn character! And above all I have more than enough to hear you whine whenever something doesn't suit you and doesn't meet your expectations."

SMACK!

She had slapped me. Fort. My cheek was burning, and I had no doubt that the shape of her hand marked my cheek. My cheekbone was biting too, one of her rings had scratched me. The blow of the slap sent me waltzing against the doors of the Tardis. I held back with one hand while my other hand held my bruised cheek. I stared stunned at the blonde who had raised her hand on me.

"ROSE!" Yelled Mickey, pulling her away from me.

Because she seemed more than ready to do battle with me. The outcome of this fight would certainly not have turned in my favor because of the alcohol still running through my veins.

"You deserved it, you drunkard bitch!" Spat Rose held back by Mickey. "One day you will see! You will be the cause of several deaths and the Doctor will realize who you really are! "

"And who am I?" I asked darkly as strands of hair fell on my face.

"A monster."

"Rose! That's enough!" Mickey finally intervened.

He spoke to her, but I preferred not to stay in the same room as Rose. So, I took my key out of the Tardis and put it in the lock before turning the key and pushing the door to get in.

"Alvia!" Called Mickey as he stopped Rose from speaking. "What are we doing? "

"We wait. The Doctor will come back," I said curtly before entering the Tardis without looking back.

I crossed the console room and walked the hallway furiously. I had to get away from Rose and calm down and sober up. Or get drunk and sober up by following. I opened the door to my bedroom and slammed it down next, when Sexy buzzed to scold me I immediately apologized. I sat on the bed, resting my elbows on my thighs and leaning forward enough that my hands would sink into my hair. I was almost pulling my hair so furious and angry. I had to calm down and I did. I went to the shower, taking off all my clothes. The water that fell on my body was cold and it was exactly what I needed.

Coming out of the shower, wiping myself properly so as not to get sick, I saw on the bathroom cabinet was a glass of water and an orange pill and a note. The words said that the pill helped remove all traces of alcohol and avoid a hangover. So, I took the pill and put it on my tongue before drinking two sips of water. The effect was immediate. The feeling of floating in my mind disappeared immediately, I had the impression that all the alcohol was sucked away elsewhere, and I could taste in the back of my throat and on my tongue a kind of mixture of ash and iron, as if I ate a helicopter and charcoal. I finished the glass to remove the taste and thanked Sexy before getting dressed.

And while waiting for the Doctor, I had to keep myself busy as I could, staying as far away from Rose as possible. When Rose returned to the Tardis it was after being warned by Mickey not to meet her that I was able to return to the ship. For several hours I stayed outside while Rose was hiding inside with her boyfriend. I finally sat against the Tardis, watching the space above my head. This huge gigantic void. I felt even smaller sending this immensity. The sound of a rotating object sounded, and I got up and took a few steps before being buried against the chest of a few and firmly held by a pair of arms.

I didn't need to see anything, it was the Doctor. I wrapped my arms around his thin body.

"How long?" He asks before letting go of me

"Just over five hours," I smiled softly, happy to see him again.

"Okay, always wait a little over five hours. Tell the others, I'm going to get Reinette. What happened to your cheek?" He suddenly asks, brushing my bruised cheek with his fingers.

"I'll explain to you later. Go ahead, I will warn them of your return. "

He watched my cheek for a few seconds before meeting my gaze and nodding and heading straight for the fireplace. My smile faded as I realized that I would never see Reinette again. A small tear ran down for the fiery young woman who had kissed me and given me good advice. I erased that tear quickly before returning to the interior of the Tardis. Mickey was in the console room and I told him that the Doctor had returned before leaving to pick up Reinette and that he could go get Rose. The Doctor returned a few seconds after Rose arrived in the main room, without Reinette, Rose seemed to play the card of ignorance and focused all her attention on the Doctor who showed no emotion on his face.

"Why her?" She asks without preamble. "Why would you want to repair the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour."

"We'll probably never know," replied the Doctor.

I swallowed before I spoke, my voice slightly hoarse with grief.

"There is a painting by Reinette hanging on the wall behind the Tardis. And the ship's name is the SS Madame de Pompadour... that's why. "

"The Tardis can close the time windows now that the droids are gone. It should stop the problems. "

Rose suddenly asked if the Doctor was okay and replied that he was still okay. It was a lie, everyone could see it. His smile was fake, and his eyes were sad. The room was quiet if we didn't count the noise the Tardis made, and Mickey gently pulled Rose with him, finding an excuse to leave and leave the Doctor alone. Rose followed suit and I didn't see them again for the evening.

He took out of his pocket a letter which he opened and read for a few moments before putting it in his coat pocket, drawing me to him and kissing the top of my head for a long time. Our hands looked for each other, found each other and we crossed our fingers together. We watched Reinette's fireplace and its fire on the screen, which went out forever after the Doctor had pressed a button. The windows were now closed for good and the ship will sail for a long time in the vastness of space.

I helped the Doctor lead the Tardis to materialize it in the Vortex of Time. As soon as it was done, the Doctor gently rubbed the knuckle of his index finger against the small wound on my cheek. I hissed softly, and the Doctor avoided touching it, he nevertheless put his hand against my cheek and I leaned on it with joy.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

"A confrontation with Rose," I confessed without trying to lie or hide the truth. "She doesn't really take the fact that I know and when I tried to reassure Mickey after you left with the horse she fell for it. We had arguments and she ended up slapping me. End of the story. "

"Maybe I should talk to her..." he suggested.

"No," I refused. "It's between the two of us, I don't want you to interfere. It could make things worse and worse."

The Doctor didn't seem to agree with my words but said nothing and sighed acceptance. He rested his forehead against mine and I closed my eyes, appreciating our proximity.

"I wish it didn't happen..." he said.

"I know... and sometimes you have to accept that things don't go the way you want. "

"Hm," he hummed.

His hand slipped under my chin and lifted my head slightly so that my lips met his. After a few exchanged kisses, I whispered.

"Let's change our ideas. I remember you proposed me to see a real Queen concert. "

His lips twisted upwards, remembering the suggestion that he had whispered in my ear in his old body and he lowered a lever to start the engines.

* * *

I may not publish a lot during my vacation, I have to revise a lot so as not to repeat. I didn't manage to validate my semester.


	22. Somebody To Love

New chapter YAY!

I really hope you'll like it !

it's the first time I've written such a romantic piece and everything... is that what we call fluff ?

anyway, if you like it, please tell me :D and see you soon!

* * *

The trip took only about five minutes, with its usual chaos and typical Tardis noise. And yet this trip seemed different from anything I had experienced before. Was it the Doctor, whose body was very often close to mine as we were driving Sexy; our arms and shoulders touching? Or was it the looks and the smile we were giving each other, filled with childish malice and love? Maybe all at the same time.

"July 13th, 1985!" Exclaimed the Doctor as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Oh! I know that date! That's the double Aid concert, isn't it?"

"Exactly, and we're going to the one in London, at Wembley Stadium."

I laughed with joy as I took the Doctor in my arms before stepping back and jumping slightly on the floor.

"I'm going to change. I might die of heat with this outfit!" I said, making a wave to my outfit.

"We have the whole Time in the world!" Replied the Doctor as I made my way down into the Tardis corridor.

Luckily for me, Sexy had brought my room closer and I only had to take about twenty steps before opening my door and going into my room to change. As I had already taken a shower a few hours ago, I went to my dressing room. I took a light cargo jean, a black top with thin vertical white stripes, a V-neck and back and straps. I switched my pair of red high converse for a pair of low converses of the same color.

After changing, I went back to the console room where the Doctor was waiting for me, his cloak laid on one of the coral columns of the Tardis. We walked out of the TARDIS hand in hand. We were just a few blocks from the concert site, and there were already a lot of people heading in the same direction as us. At the entrance of the Stadium, he took out his psychic paper from the inside pocket of his suit jacket and we walked in without any problem. Our place was at the front inside the pit, we had managed to sneak in between the people to get there; we were about fifteen meters from the stage and we were happy with our place. Gradually, the stadium filled up and everything was just hubbub. While we were waiting for the beginning of the concert with the multiple artists, we were chatting about our knowledge of Queen, being careful not to say anything dangerous. The Doctor of course had a little more knowledge about the band than I did, but that didn't bother me, absolutely not.

"It's 12 noon in London, 7 am in Philadelphia and around the world it's time for live aid !"

The announcer spoke and a few minutes later the concert began. About 16 hours of music and I wondered if I could handle it. A kiss from the Doctor on my lips made me understand that yes, I really could do it. Sixteen hours of music? We had done a bit more than half on Gloria Trax III. The first notes played, and we enjoyed the day, which was going to be unforgettable.

* * *

It was a little before 6pm, we had had a little break between concerts. We were all sweaty and happy. I had ended up tying my hair in a short ponytail which stuck to my neck and back. My throat pitched a little and seemed to be a bit rusty just because I had sung every song I liked from the top of my lungs, accompanied by the Doctor and the delirious masses in the stadium. Fortunately for both of us, the Doctor had two fresh bottles of water out of his jacket. I happily drank the water that soothed the warmth in my throat, draining a little more than half of it and pouring the rest down my face. The water slid down my neck, chest and back. The Doctor had done the same. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his now wet shirt stuck to his thin body and his hair was even more messed up than if I had put my hands through it. His tie was long gone, tucked away in one of his pockets, which was bigger on the inside.

After putting the bottles away in his suit jacket, which he didn't button up, he took out two bars of chocolate which we ate quickly. I moved closer to the Doctor, passing my arm behind his back as he did the same, I put my head against him and he put a long kiss on the top of my head.

Two men in police uniforms appeared on stage and spoke into the microphone, telling us that they had received some complaints about the noise. I burst out laughing with some of them while the rest of them were screaming and whistling. I immediately recognized that scene, Queen was the next group.

"Her majesty! QUEEN!"

The delirious audience shouted in joy as Freddie Mercury quickly walked in with his band. He greeted us before settling down in front of his piano and playing a few notes and starting with Bohemian Rhapsody.

Still holding on to each other, the Doctor and I swayed to the rhythm of the music while singing along with the singer. This was followed by "Radio Ga Ga" before Freddie Mercury did his vocals and we followed him. We danced and sang to "Hammer to Fall" in the limited space we had.

"This song is only dedicated to beautiful people, here tonight," said Freddie Mercury, guitar in hand. "That means all of you."

The man strummed on the cream-coloured guitar strings the first notes of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and I felt the Doctor's lips resting on my temple. I turned slightly towards him and lifted myself up on the tip of my feet to reach his lips.

We broke our vocal cords singing, shouting "We Will Rock You." We swung with the rest of the people as we all sang "We Are the Champions." Queen finally left the stage to let David Bowie, and the rest of the artists of this brilliant era of music, take the stage.

It's after 10pm when we left Wembley. We weren't going back to the TARDIS yet. We were starving.

We found, happily and fortunately, a restaurant that was still open with fish n' chips. We sat down with a sigh of relief. My feet were screaming in joy as I was no longer soliciting them and settled into the wooden chair.

"It was... it was, WOW!" I commented with a large smile on my lips and stars in my eyes. "I can't find the words for today, it was indescribable!"

The Doctor giggled with affirmation as he pushed a few strands of hair away from his face.

"Of all the live shows I've ever had, this is definitely my favourite. Everything was awesome!" I added with a mildly hoarse voice.

He filled a glass of water and handed it to me.

"And I know someone who's going to have a hoarse voice for the next few days. Lucky for me, I won't have that problem," hummed the Doctor, teasing.

"I regret nothing," I chuckled as I sipped my glass.

Our food was served, and we devoured the fish and chips with enthusiasm. I groaned at the taste of the fish which was scrumptious while the Doctor enjoyed the chips.

"Hmm! It's much better than the chips we were served at Deffry Vale High School," the Doctor remarked after swallowing the food in his mouth.

"I guess anything is better than the Krilitane oil-coated food," I joked with an amused grin.

The Doctor chuckled, also amused. And the rest of the dinner is surrounded by a simple, warm and joyful atmosphere.

When dinner with the Doctor came to its end, we hung out on the way home. Maybe it was because of our digestion, maybe it was because we were still in that concert mood with the music still resonating in our minds and buzzing in our ears, maybe it was because it was hot, but a gentle breeze solved this seasonal problem. Or maybe it was simply because we were both enjoying the moment together, without Rose or Mickey; just between two people who loved each other and were enjoying a moment before going back to their daily lives. We were enjoying this moment before going back to the Tardis, before running for our lives again, saving Time and Space, a family or a whole world. We who lived constantly on the quick path enjoyed this moment on the long path, which we might not be able to live together.

For the first time in a long time, not counting the kiss at Versailles, I engaged a contact by going to seek the Doctor's hand with mine, wrapping my fingers with his. I moved my body closer to his as we walked, humming tunes that may or may not make sense. The Doctor looked at me with a slight surprise before melting into tenderness and love. He gave me a tender smile which I returned with delight.

We were in front of the Tardis, the blue wooden doors were closed, only a few feet away. The Tardis key, given to me by my first Doctor, hung down on my chain with a ring too big for me to wear, and rested against my collarbone and a bit before the beginning of my sternum. We could go inside, returning to the console room, watched over by the mysterious and complex consciousness that was Sexy as a Tardis. We could have got inside by using our keys, or by snapping our fingers for my part; but we didn't do it.

Instead, the Doctor hugged me, my feet no longer touching the ground as he made me go around in circles with him. His thin arms, not very muscular at first glance, lifted me up and held me, making my upper body as well as my head exceed him by a few centimetres and my hands grasp his shoulders to avoid a possible fall due to a loss of stability. We were laughing like children, but we were happy.

My hands finally rested against his cheeks and jaws, the pulp of my fingers gently brushed against his freckles before I pressed my lips against his. He gently moved his lips to deepen the kiss and our lips synchronized to begin a dance so familiar to all lovers. My hands returned to his shoulders again, this time surrounding him and playing with a few strands on his neck. His tongue met my lower lip, silently begging for more of the kiss. His teeth scratched and sometimes bit my lower lip, but never with enough force to hurt me; nevertheless, his tongue always followed after and sometimes met mine.

Two whistles across the street broke our kiss. I opened my eyes and turned my head with the Doctor towards the source that interrupted us. It was a young couple smiling at us and raising their thumbs up to encourage us. They were not mean and had no bad intentions to us, but the fact that they interrupted us was bothering me a bit.

But that was fixed by the Doctor, who finally opened the Tardis so that we could hide in it. The door creaked as it closed, and the Doctor grabbed me again and lifted me up and sat me down against the metal railing which was wrapped with soft material to prevent injury on the travels. He wedged himself between my legs, without being pressed against me.

His hands returned to their places, a few inches above my hips. I felt a bit cheeky as we continued to kiss; one of my hands slipped from his neck to his chest, passing under his open jacket. I could feel against the palm of my hand both of his hearts beating at high speed.

The Doctor ended the kissing with tenderness and delicacy, and I brought him slightly closer to me and placed my head against his chest, where my hand had previously been.

"They beat so fast..." I emitted with amazement. "I'll never get tired of hearing that rhythm..."

A small laugh came out of the Doctor's mouth.

"Yours is not left out either," he said kindly.

"Hmm..." I hummed assertively.

"What do you think, then? About this day together?" he asked suddenly with an insecure voice.

I removed my ear from his chest to look at him, there was a touch of anxiety fluttering in his brown eyes.

"Indescribable, as I said earlier," I replied, not really understanding the question.

"Yes, but... did you like it? Would you... would you like to do it again?"

Oh. Oh! I understand now! It was so obvious!

_I'm an idiot_, I reprimanded myself mentally.

"I... I really enjoyed the day with you. And I would love to do it again."

The Doctor swallowed and sighed with relief as his lips pulled up in a happy smile. His shoulders relaxed, and he placed his forehead against mine, his breath mingling with mine.

"I'm really happy that you enjoyed the date..." he said before backing down and suddenly panicking, gesticulating his arms frantically without knowing what to do with them. "I mean, if you want to call this a date; it's entirely your choice!"

This scene amused me a lot and I couldn't hold back the laughter that came up my throat. After calming down and wiping a tear of laughter with my finger, I stepped down from the railing to delicately grab the Doctor's face and bend it forward to rub my lips against his.

"Did you really love that first date?" the Doctor asked again.

"Completely, entirely, totally..." I whispered as I watched him lovingly. "But if this was our first date, those adventures at Albion Hospital and Satellite Five just the two of us, what was that?" I asked teasingly.

"This one was gallant unlike the others!" He exclaimed with a fake indignation.

"So, these were dates?" I guessed. "You didn't even try to deny it," I laughed, slightly amused.

The Doctor turned his head as he mumbled something I didn't get.

"What was that?"

"I'm saying, it's not a date if you end up getting hurt."

"Whether I'm hurt, whether I run for my life, whether I laugh, whether I cry... it doesn't matter." I revealed as I buttoned the Doctor's jacket and smoothed the folds, my eyes staring at the Doctor's eyes. "As long as it's with you..."

He suddenly grabbed me and pulled me towards him to stick me against his thin and firm chest as he was resting against the console. His lips found mine again and again, fiercely and feverishly, filled with desire, love, despair and hope. One of his hands grasped my neck and bowed me and dominated the kiss, while the other rested on my lower back. My hands grabbed his clothes as I sighed with pleasure into the kiss.

There was nothing left that mattered to me at that moment except the Doctor and I. Rose could come at any time, yelling out in drama, I didn't care, I didn't care at all. Nothing else matters to me except the Doctor holding me and kissing me as if I was the solution, the cure for all his ills, his oxygen, his _redemption_. And I expected the same from him. He was the man I love, the man for whom I would do anything and everything even if it meant destroying Time, Space and Reality itself; He was my home.

And to that man I offered my heart, young, beating, innocent, full of hope and love; and he gave me his, old, wise, wounded and yet still full of hope and love. I offered him my heart and he gave me his.


	23. Rise of the Cybermen

Hi, everybody!

I hope lockdown isn't too much for you and that you have something to keep you busy. For my part I still have classes and study to the max, and in my free time I try to keep myself busy and enjoy it. I've picked up my graphics tablet and I'm trying to get back into graphic design; I've started writing the next chapter and chapter 7 of my other story. And playing Animal Crossing New Horizons :D (this game is just awesome !)

Anyway, lots of activity during these difficult times.

I hope you won't be too hard on this chapter in terms of mistakes, because this is the original chapter and it hasn't been fixed yet. It is currently being corrected by my Beta, but it takes time, as she's too studying and continues to have classes. As soon as I have the corrected chapter I'll change it immediately to the new version.

* * *

Suggest that everything was perfect in the Tardis would be a lie. Yes indeed, I was living a great love pleasure with the Doctor; even if we were keeping our relationship secret from Rose and Mickey. Mickey was sort of my new 'Jack', although the big brother and flirting thing was exclusive to the Captain, but Mickey was a good friend and I shared some nice jokes and great times with him, Rose who had not been happy about him coming on the Tardis sometimes seemed to forget that he was there with us, the Doctor too. And my relationship with Rose was... how can I explain it?

Let's just say we were small-scale replicators of the Cold War. We were looking at each other with cold, black eyes, ignoring each other as much as possible; and we were ready to bust out at the first sign of an argument. I was still mad at her for the slap she gave me. I kept all this anger hidden deep inside me; and sometimes I had the strange feeling of hearing a whispering voice in the deepest part of my mind, whispering to me, murmuring to me, muttering to me, susuring to me to let me go, to ravage everything, to annihilate the one who caused me pain, to abandon myself entirely in this nameless rage and fury... during those moments I was terrified. Scared of myself and the idea that I could let myself go. Scared of that voice that seemed to reflect the darkest ribs of my Being. But in those dark moments that haunted me, the Doctor would suddenly stand by my side, like a salvation light. And he would bring me back to the reality without knowing it, he would muffle that voice until I could no longer hear it and all my dark thoughts and desires for chaos would be just a simple bad memory. In the end it all ended for the best, but I knew that one day it would no longer be the case.

Anyway, as water boiled for tea and I waited for my piece of toast to finish grilling, I could hear the laughs from Rose and the Doctor coming emanating from the console room. My toast finally jumped out of the toaster, hot and crisp as I liked it; and I poured the water into my mug. Tea infused while I buttered my toast and walked to the console room, mug in hand and toast in mouth.

As I got there, I saw Rose and the Doctor remembering an adventure as Mickey watched them with a finger stuck on a button. I immediately frowned when I saw that Mickey's arm was shaking a bit because of the strain. After eating the last bite of my toast, I walked down the stairs and made my presence evident.

"Mickey, I think you can leave that button alone. Judging by what I saw, the Doctor completely forgot you." I said as I took a sip of my tea and glancing blankly at the sitting duo.

"Since when I could stop?" Mickey asked after he got his arm back.

The Doctor stammered looking for the right words, hoping not to cause a problem by revealing that Mickey could have let go of the button from the very beginning.

"You've just forgotten Mickey, Doctor!" I growled severely as I put my mug on the ground and folded my arms. "And you, Rose, why are you standing there chewing your thumb and giggling? He's your boyfriend! Have some respect for him! Ever since he arrived on the Tardis you've treated him like he was nothing! That's not an acceptable conduct, especially from you, Doctor!"

The Doctor and Rose had the decency to be sorry.

"Sorry..." Apologised the Doctor. "But I know what I was doing!" He tried in vain. "I was calibrating, everything was perfect!"

And to prove otherwise, the console exploded suddenly and violently. Sparks and flames erupted. The heat grazed and licked my face and I narrowly avoided a burn on my face. The Doctor knelt down in front of the console and frantically tried to get the Tardis working while Rose, Mickey and I gripped onto the nearest and most stable thing in the room. The lights were flickering as the console made a very strange noise as everything flipped and shook suddenly.

"What's happened ?" Rose asked.

"The Time Vortex is gone! It can't be!" Exclaimed the Doctor with alarm. "It's just gone! Brace yourselves! We're gonna crash!"

A much more brutal shock tilted the room and the trio took off backwards onto the fence while I accidentally released the coral pillar and my back and head met the walls of the room with its round things. I groan in the pain at the meeting and look up and squint to see as the light vanished, plunging everyone into darkness. I could smell and see smoke coming out of the rotor and oxygen masks fell limply from the ceiling.

"Is everyone all right? Rose? Mickey? Alvia?!"

Mickey replied as did Rose, and I grunted to answer back. As I saw the others get up I observed with the Doctor, the console grinding as the engines cooled down. Smoke was replacing the light that usually came out of the rotor.

"She's dead..." Whispered the Doctor. "The Tardis is dead."

Rose tried to comfort the Doctor by saying he could fix it, but he replied that Sexy was absolutely dead.

"We can get help, yeah?" Rose tried again, as she followed the Doctor, pulling the masks off, which was hanging in the air.

"Where from?"

"Well, we've landed. We've gotta be somewhere."

What the Doctor said froze my blood and made me panic and choke for air.

"We fell out of the Vortex, through the Void, into nothingness. Sort of a no-place..."

No.

No god.

No god please, no. No.

No. Not there.

Not this place. Not again.

Anything but there.

Any place but that one. Not the Void, not the void. Not again. Please.

"The Silent Realm."

Flashes of memory of this place resurfaced with the madness that came with it. My hands gripped my skull painfully as I pressed my nails into the skin of my scalp. My eyes were wide open and yet I didn't seem to see anything.

"The Lost Dimension."

"Otherwise known as London," Mickey cut in with a laugh.

"SHUT UP!" I shouted unexpectedly.

This sudden and unforeseen outburst made everyone jump, including the Doctor. I curled a bit more in place as my body shook frantically in fright. The Doctor sprinted towards me before he stood at the same level, his hands grabbed mine to pull them away from my head and save me from more pain.

"Hey, hey, hey, I've got you. I've got you. Shh... Sh... Sh... Sh... you're not alone in there anymore. I'm right here with you. I'm here." Reassured the Doctor in my ear. "You're no longer locked into the Void."

A hand went to wipe away my tears and arms pressed me against a living, warm chest with beating hearts. I was breathing fast as the Doctor gently rubbed my back and whispered words of comfort to me.

"There... there... it's all right." He said, softly brushing my cheek with the palm of his hand. "Let's get some fresh air, shall we?"

My breaths gradually calmed down and my hands slipped and grabbed his suit jacket on the back. The Doctor kissed the side of my head as my eyes captured the light and the illusion of the silent and lonely darkness of the Void vanished from my mind.

A door creaking sounded, and I muttered slowly into the Doctor's chest.

"Don't apologize for having a panic attack... it's perfectly normal to have that reaction after what you've been through, and this is all my fault. I should have known you'd react like this." Said the Doctor softly, caressing my cheek with one finger.

He helped me to get up and walked with me on the way out. I clung to him, scared that if I let him go I would return to this living nightmare. The Doctor went to take his coat and mine, and we had to let each other go for a few moments, but the Doctor's hand went to take mine again and he pulled me close to him on the way out. My mind was still confused and alert. When we finally reached outside I was squinting at the sunlight.

"First of February of this year. Not that far, huh?!" Mickey laughed as he read a newspaper.

"So, this is London?" Asked the Doctor as he walked beside me.

"Yup."

"Your city? Your London?"

"That's the one."

"Just as we left it?"

"Bang on."

The Doctor raised his head to the sky, and so did I; staring with apprehension and slight panic at the zeppelins floating above us. I pressed the Doctor's hand a bit harder, and my other hand grasped the arm which was holding me, his thumb was rubbing the back of my hand in a small circular movement.

"And I assume that includes the zeppelins? " Continued the Doctor.

Rose and Mickey raised their heads together to see the massive floating objects. Mickey cursed as Rose marvelled and complimented the spectacle above our heads.

"Okay. So, London welcomes the International Zeppelin Festival." Mickey remarked as if it were normal.

"When they haven't been used since the early 20th century?" I asked a bit coldly.

"This is not your world." Added the Doctor as he released my hand and put his around my shoulders.

"But... if the date's the same..." Mickey looked confused. "It's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got zeppelins? Am I right?"

I clenched my teeth at the sudden appearance of excitement in Mickey's voice. There was absolutely nothing joyful about traveling from one world to another...

"Must be," Replied the Doctor, giving me a worried look.

"So, a parallel world where... " Intervened Rose with a distant voice.

She had spotted a billboard where her father was.

"Oh, come on. You've seen him in the movies! An alternative to our world where everything's the same but with a small difference. Like, I don't know, the red light's blue; Tony Blair was never elected..."

"A whole fictional universe coming to life..." I mumbled, catching Mickey's eye and the Doctor's worried gaze.

The Doctor brought my body a little closer to his.

"And where my dad is still alive..." Finally said Rose, looking at a billboard. "A parallel world where my father is still alive."

It was a picture with his father, the background was red with bubbles, it had Peter Tyler holding a pink bottle, the slogan and the name of the brand. And Rose walked towards it, determined, as if nothing else mattered; which slightly irritated the Doctor. And I could understand, since the disaster of the trip on Pete's death day, Rose had shown us a part of herself that slightly disturbed the Doctor and me. Everyone was attached to their parents, and that included me. But in Rose's case, it was almost an unhealthy obsession.

Rose grew up without her father and what Jackie told to her daughter had been slightly different from the truth; after all, it is best to tell the very best to someone who didn't know him. Jackie had done a good job of that, a bit too much, in fact. Rose had idealized her father and refused to see her father's bad points. The womanizer side, for example, which Jackie had once told me... or the fact that he sometimes stole other people's ideas... I'm not going to criticize him; a lot of people are like him.

"Don't look at it, Rose!" Exclaimed the Doctor as he pulled me along with him as he followed Rose. "Don't even think about it, this is not your world!"

"But he's my dad." She says, ignoring the Doctor's words, raising her hand to the poster to touch her father's face. "And..."

As soon as she put her fingers on the screen, the image started to move, and Peter Tyler's voice was heard saying, " Trust me on this."

"Oh, that's weird..." Comments Rose in comparison to the technology she doesn't have in her time. "But he' s real..."

The voice repeated the same slogan and the image moved, like a gif.

"He succeeded!" She rejoiced. "He planned all these silly schemes, healthy drinks and stuff. Everyone said it was useless. But he did it."

She spoke as if it was her father. But he wasn't, he wasn't her father. And the Doctor really wanted to get that through to Rose, make her understand. He let me go to stand up in front of Rose, grabbing her arms in a firm grip.

"Rose, if you ever trusted me, then listen to me now."

She glanced at the poster, attracted by the image of Peter Tyler.

"Stop looking at it! " He commanded suddenly. "Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. This is a Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie. His own Rose. His own daughter who's someone else, but not you. You can't see him! Not ever!"

Rose made a sad pout that hid her annoyance. The poster began to repeat itself and I moved towards it to turn it off, receiving a dark look from the blonde. But instead of ignoring it, I gave her back the glance, a glance perhaps even darker. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to make people think that her situation was different, that she was mourning the loss of a parent and take advantage of this universe to meet the parent in question. But she was going to have to learn that between what we want and reality there is a huge pit. If she thought I couldn't understand how she felt, she was deeply wrong.

The Doctor apparently noticed that Rose hadn't fully integrated this information and he continued to repeat this for a few minutes. In the meantime, I talked to Mickey.

"Rose is obsessed with her father... I don't think she thought for a moment whether we had anything to tempt us here." I said quietly as I crossed my arms, not taking my eyes off the blonde's back.

"When we were young, she ended up getting the wrath of many of our friends by talking about her dead father over and over again when we discussed our family problems."

"Everybody's got them," I said, agreeing with Mickey. "Do you think anyone from your family might be here?"

"My grandma, maybe? I'd like to at least see her one last time, even if it's from a distance... and you?"

"My family..." I sighed. "It's 2006, correct? My grandfather hasn't discovered cancer yet, so..."

"I'm sorry... when did he die?"

"In 2015..." I said after thinking a bit, stretching myself slightly. "But hey... I didn't look to see if my parents existed in the other world, I certainly won't look for them here."

"Mickey! " Called suddenly the Doctor. "Keep an eye on Rose, I'm going back to the Tardis!"

And the Doctor quickly turned inside the Tardis. I preferred not to stay near Rose any longer and I followed the Doctor. He was pulling levers, pushing buttons frenetically. He was almost hurting himself to make Sexy alive again. I pulled him from the console, taking him in my arms as he turned the hug, pushing his head into my neck, to hide his grief. I whispered a few words of comfort before putting a hand on his cheek and kissing him gently, until Mickey walked suddenly into the Tardis. The Doctor stepped back, giving me one last look, and walked towards Mickey.

"I told you to keep an eye on her." Reprimand the Doctor.

"She's all right." Replied Mickey.

"She goes wandering off! " Scolded the Doctor, pointing at the TARDIS door. "Parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations."

"It's just Rose, then?" Mickey says offended. "Nothing to tempt me? Or Alvia?"

"Well, I don't know. I can't worry about everything! If this thing could..."

The Doctor kicked his foot against the console, as if that would make Sexy start again; and went to sit on the passenger seats.

"Did that help?"

"Yes."

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes. Ow..."

I sat down next to him, joined by Mickey, who moved against the console. The Doctor rubbed his foot through the fabric of his shoe. I leaned towards him slightly, looking up at the ceiling and he dropped his foot to wrap his arm around my shoulder and bring me closer to him, allowing me to rest my head against his shoulder.

"We're not mean to be here." Confessed the Doctor. "The Tardis draws its power from the universe, but we're in the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."

"But I've seen it in comics, people are hopping from one world to another... It's easy!" Says Mickey.

I let out a mocking snort, drawing attention to myself.

"Easy? I was in a violent road crash when I shifted to a different universe, I should have died... and believe me the transition through the Void isn't the happiest moment..." I confessed, remembering the incident, the fear of the crash and the terror of dying that I had felt at that time.

"You've never told me that before..." Whispered the Doctor sadly.

"I tend to avoid the past Doctor, especially when it comes to my old world... I'm many things, but nostalgic isn't really one of them."

There was a pause between us before Mickey broke it.

"So not easy to travel between worlds, huh?"

"Used to be, when the Time Lords kept their eye on everything. You could change realities and be home for tea. And now they are dead and took all their knowledge into their graves."

I took his hand wrapped around my shoulders and interlaced my fingers with his, rubbing my thumb in a comforting pattern.

"The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became less kind..."

"Then how did we get here?" Asked Mickey.

"I don't know." Answered the Doctor honestly, rubbing his face with the other hand. "Accident? It should be impossible and now we're trapped."

Mickey sighed with abandon and the Doctor stood up unexpectedly, seeing something. I followed his look to examine under the wire fence. The Doctor wondered what that was. Under the heavy grating panels was a faint green light.

"Is it a reflection?" He asked as he checked the ceiling.

I crouched down and observed.

" No, that' s a light, Doctor. A light from your Tardis."

"That's all we need! We've got power, Alvia, Mickey! We've got power!" He exclaimed as he removed a panel. "Ah!"

The Doctor put the grid to one side and then jumped into the hole and pulled out the Tardis' cabling and important system circuitry.

"It's alive!" The Doctor shouted happily, throwing circuits to the sides.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. It's tiny. A tiny insignificant power cell that no one bothers about and it's clinging onto life!"

"It' s not so insignificant now, Doctor." I chuckled softly as the Doctor struggled with black wires.

"An ounce of reality tucked away inside." Continued the Doctor after winking at me.

"Enough to get us home?" Asked Mickey.

"Not yet. " Said the Doctor, luminous pod in hand as he stepped up. "I need to charge it up.

"I suppose we can't get it on a power grid? Considering the thing's alien?" I assumed when I approached the Doctor, going to sit on the first step down the hole.

"Exactly, but luckily we've got a power source from our universe. Me."

The Doctor carefully held the pod, cupped in his hands, and began to blow gently on the power cell. It began to glow, bright enough to enlighten us. The Doctor was radiant in joy, and I too was giggling, glad for the situation. I leaned over to the Doctor, my eyes never leaving the light cell that pulsed smoothly in his hands.

"I just gave away 10 years of my life. Worth every second!" He chuckles.

Then the Doctor came to the surface, forcing me to move as well. And we sat down on the cold ground, looking with fascination at the light pod. It went out slowly, alarming Mickey.

"It's on recharging cycle." Explained the Doctor to reassure him. "The power's growing and will be ready to take us back in, ooh... 24 hours?"

He kissed the pod, our only hope of reactivating the Tardis and getting back to our universe.

"So, we've got 24 hours in this parallel world?"

"Yeah! Exactly! Free time, as long as we don't cause any trouble. Let's go and tell Rose about this." Said the Doctor.

We stood up and helped the Doctor to put the circuits more or less in place without putting them in place, knowing that the pod would return to its place later. I smiled at the Doctor and caught his cheek and kissed him. He turned his head slightly to kiss me properly.

"Bravo, Doctor. For finding a way to get us back to the other universe." I congratulated him gently.

"I would have found another way to do it," He says. "I'm not gonna let you go through this again, not a second time." He adds seriously.

"Go through what again?" I asked in confusion.

His fingers caressed my cheek so tenderly as he replied.

"Losing a new home. Changing universes."

My heart swelled with love at his words and I suddenly hugged the Doctor.

"This is a promise," He swore as he rubbed my back after giving the hug back. "And I intend to keep it."

"I know you will..." I whispered in his chest.

"Oi! Lovebirds! I'm waiting! " Interrupted Mickey.

We looked at him sheepishly and he just smiled, amused. The Doctor collected his coat and I did the same as we left the Tardis and went out looking for Rose.

We found her sitting on a wooden bench having her feet on the seat.

"There you are!" Exclaimed the Doctor as he pulled out the pod. "That's it, no applause, I've finally fixed it!"

He went to sit next to Rose, while Mickey sat on the other side; leaving me no space on the bench. I crossed my legs as I put my hands into the pockets of my black frock coat and stared at the device in Rose's hands.

"24 hours and we're back to our reality! " Informed the Doctor as he lifted the pod.

But the Doctor's excitement waned when Rose didn't show her joy, but instead a blank stare as she was lost in her thoughts; the Doctor noticed the phone held by Rose with a glance.

"What's it?" He asked, putting the pod away in his coat.

Rose then explained that her phone was connected to the networks of this world and to the internet.

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world."

"I don't exist." Finally unveils the blonde. "There's no Rose Tyler, I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie. They're still married, but they never had kids."

"Give me that phone. " Ordered the Doctor as he went to pick up the phone that was taken away by Rose.

"They're rich. They've got a house and cars and everything they want. But they haven't got me."

She stood up and made a few steps. And before she said anything, I finally intervened.

"No." I said coldly.

"What?" She asked stupidly.

"You were going to ask to see them and the answer is no. Especially if it's going to end in a disaster like before." I crossed my arms and dodged the question. "You can't do that."

"I just wanna see them," She tries with a dark glance.

"It's never "_just seeing them_" with you!" I sniffed sarcastically.

"You can't understand!"

"Oh, shut up Rose! Stop acting like your situation is unique! You want to see your parents?! Alright me too! But I won't, and I haven't in your world!"

"Unlike you, I'm not an insensitive bitch who doesn't love her parents!"

"Rose!" Shouted the Doctor.

SMACK !

My hand burnt a bit as I watched Rose Tyler's bruised cheek. I clenched my fist, feeling tears running down my face as Rose held her cheek, eyes wide open in shock.

"You have no fucking idea what it's like to lose everything you knew and loved. Friends, family, neighbours... NO fucking idea. I lost _my_ world instead of my life! I lost _my_ planet, _my_ moon, _my_ sun for _your_ _bloody_ world!"

Mickey and Rose stared at me with shock and surprise, while the Doctor looked sad and compassionate; seeing me crying openly for the first time.

"You don't know what it's like to live every day in anxiety, wondering if the ones you loved exist in this world. If they have the same personality, if they love the same things and the same people; if they have the same life as the one you knew." I told her with a sob in my voice. "And I'd much rather live that anxiety than live the disappointment! Because the chance that everything is different from what I've known is the very worst truth! I can't handle the idea that my parents aren't together, or that some members of my family don't exist. I'd rather live with that anxiety than be broken by the truth again, because it hurts!"

"What are you talking about?" Asks mickey with hesitation.

I had difficulty to swallow.

"The day Rose tried to save her father from death by causing a paradox, the paradox caused me to die. And I was eaten by a creature instead of the Doctor. I ended up in my own world, and I was like a ghost. No-one could see me or hear me, and I couldn't touch anything, everything went through me. And I saw them, I saw my family; they were so happy." I sobbed as more tears streamed from my eyes and my shoulders trembled. "But they forgot me, wiped me from their memories and from the world. 18 years of memories where I disappeared, never existing in their eyes. If I had been visible, I wouldn't have been their daughter in their eyes, just a stranger. They would have had the same look they give to someone on the bus instead of a loving look at their own daughter."

The Doctor came up suddenly to take me in his arms, ending this conversation. I continued crying in the Doctor's arm, clutching his coat in my fists.

"You can't. But I can." Finally spoke Rose Tyler with no compassion in herself. "I'm stronger than you."

"This is not a competition, Rose! " Exclaimed the Doctor as he continued to hold me in his arms. "Alvia's right! You can't see them!"

"But you said we had 24 hours!" She moans capriciously.

"Didn't you listen to a single word Alvia said? Oh! I give up! Mickey, tell her!"

"What do you want me to say?!" Replied the young man. "It's impossible to make her change her mind when it comes to her parents, I'm useless! ROSE!" He suddenly turned his head towards the blonde in question. "Where are you going?!"

Rose used the opportunity of the Doctor's turned back to leave in the direction of her family. She raised her phone before she spoke again.

"I've got the address and everything!"

"Rose! Come back here! " Ordered the Doctor impatient, taking a step towards her.

"I just want to see them!" She said before she left.

The Doctor groans in irritation as we saw the blonde leave without a second look or anything.

The Doctor took a few steps in her direction before turning to us. He looked in both directions several times, his face showing all his annoyance, distress and hesitation. It could be seen that the Doctor didn't want this situation, but he had to go after Rose. I put a hand on the Doctor's arm.

"Go after her..." I advised him. "Mickey and I can manage without causing any trouble."

"Are you sure?" he asks, looking me straight in the eye.

I gave him a small smile and then nodded in agreement. He stole a kiss and his lips touched mine fervently and disappeared a few seconds later, then set off in pursuit of Rose Tyler. The feeling of the kiss warmed pleasantly on my lips for a while.

"So, you and the Doctor, eh? " Mickey asked. "Are you two together?"

"We didn't really put a word in about who we were, but yeah... we're together." I replied by wiping the moisture from my cheeks.

"So, uh, what do we do now?" Asks Mickey, putting his hands in his jeans pockets.

"I need to take my mind off things; let's get something to drink, tea, coffee..."

"Do you have any money on you?"

"Lucky for us, I'm not the Doctor, so I've got some money on me. Courtesy of the Tardis, but still. "I joked. "Do you know a good coffee shop or something, like a Starbucks maybe? 2006, definitely not my time..."

"I know an address, maybe it exists here, let's check it out."

So, I followed Mickey. We walked peacefully through the city, side by side, hands in our pockets and in silence. The slightly chilly weather had forced me to button up my coat and shove my face into the collar of my hoodie.

"How different is 2006 from your time? It's only 10 years different." Mickey said as he struck up a conversation.

I looked up at the sky and thought about the difference.

"Technologically it's not the same, whether it's the TV, the computer or the phones. It's really not the same. Everything is evolving so fast that in my day a technology became old after what... two months? Three months? We're upgrading storage capacity, developing image quality... we're making so many discoveries that it's almost impossible to be on the cutting edge. And scientifically, it's incredible, too. The things we're discovering about the human body, the planet and space! It's so fascinating!

"Must be amazing." He comments as he imagines it.

"In a way it truly is! It's incredible how since the beginning of the 20th century technology has made a real leap forward and how fast it's progressing! But... it has to have an impact on life and culture."

"What do you mean?"

"Technology is a part of people's lives, but on such a level that just losing your phone seems terrible. On phones of my time you can take a picture, chat, go online, watch videos, listen to music, read, make appointments, manage your money, shop online. The phone becomes a part of us, we use it all the time. And that's a shame, because it prevents us from simply having a good time."

"It can't be that bad, can it?"

"Go to a concert in 2019 and look at the audience, the vast majority will be filming the concert instead of really experiencing it. When I went with the Doctor to a concert in 1985, the atmosphere wasn't the same at all. Everyone was singing, dancing, drinking their beer, not a single camera in hand. In the end, there's good and bad, just like now."

"Yeah." Agrees Mickey before suddenly pointing to a shop window across the street. "It's right over there."

"Let's go, drink will take our minds off it."

And we walked into the coffee shop. The interior decoration was really nice and made us feel comfortable immediately. It was rustic, cosy and modern all at once. An interior that we would find a bit anywhere in my time, in fact. Mickey and I ordered our drinks and sat down at one table. After a few minutes, a barista came and put the drinks on our table. Mickey had a hot coffee shake while I asked for a Viennese chocolate. We talked peacefully about anything and everything, taking time to get to know each other. And when it was time to leave the coffee shop we looked at each other, pensive, and not knowing where to go.

"I know it's a bad idea, but..." hesitated Mickey as he rubbed his head. "But I'd really like to go see my nana."

"Are you sure? You might be disappointed about what you find out, you know?" I asked him seriously and with a hint of worry.

"Yeah... even if I'm disappointed. But at least I'd get one last look at my grandma. " he confirmed, nodding his head.

I waved to the street and the road.

"So, go ahead, lead the way."

Then we went to his Grandma's house, we took some public transport to get there quicker. On the way he told me anecdotes of his childhood with his grandma, leaving me homesick for my own grandparents; I laughed with him when he remembered the slaps he received from the woman who raised him.

As we drove past a factory, we saw the road was blocked by soldiers. I glanced discreetly at the factory, feeling an unpleasant shiver go up my spine as a brief image of the Cybermen popped in my mind. I moved a bit faster, all to get away from this infernal factory, which must surely have been a Cybermen conversion factory.

"Can we pass?" Asked Mickey to one of the soldiers who had come forward when he saw us.

"Yeah, no bother. Curfew hasn't been passed. It's not ten o'clock yet."

"There's a curfew?" Asks Mickey again.

"Of course, there is! Where have you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?" Asked the disbelieving soldier.

They looked up at the skies full of floating zeppelins, and so did we.

"Oh, I wish." Joked mickey before moving on. "See ya."

I followed Mickey and one of the soldiers lifted the barrier for us, and we kept going. We finally arrived at Waterton Street, the street where Mickey's grandma lived. I followed him in silence as he walked towards a dark red door with the number 1 on it. His hand reached up to the door and stopped, hesitating. I gently patted his back and gave him a smile that I hoped would be comforting; it seemed to be enough for him because he knocked three times at the door.

A voice echoed inside the house, demanding, old and yet strong.

"Who's there?"

The door opened, and we saw the person who had been standing inside. Mickey's grandma. A woman of the very same skin colour as Mickey, wearing a black skirt, a blue shirt and a navy-blue woollen vest. She was blind, wearing sunglasses and holding a cane. She was also wearing a pair of grey earpieces that I had seen on many people.

"Who are you? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I got nothing of value here!" She said before raising her cane in a threatening way. "And don't even think about making me disappear. I won't let it happen!"

"Hi." Said Mickey.

The old lady's face changed instantly, we could see relief. She stepped forward and asked:

"Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, I'm home."

She put one hand on Mickey's face.

"Ricky"?!"

I retained an amused sniff as Mickey replied, "It's Mickey". The former incarnation of the Doctor would never have let Mickey down on that.

"I know my grandson's name! It's Ricky. Now, come here."

Then Mickey went into his grandma's arms and gave him a hug.

"All right, I'm Ricky. Of course, I am. Ricky, that's me. " He said as he was hugging her.

The hug ended, and the grandma suddenly slapped his shoulder.

"You stupid boy!" She scolded as she continued to slap him on his arms. "Where've you been? It's been days and days! I keep hearing all these stories of missing people. There's nothing of it on the download, but all these rumours and whispers going around. I thought you were disappeared too!" She said with worry in her voice.

But Mickey was only half listening, his attention was drawn to the carpet on the stairs. But the information her grandma was giving us was creeping me out, and I knew these people could be considered dead. The cyber-conversion already started...

"That carpet on the stairs..." He mumbles. "I told you to get it fixed. You're gonna... fall and break your neck."

"Well, you're gonna fix it for me!"

"I should have done way back. I guess I'm juste kinda I'm useless."

"Now. I never said that."

"I am, though." He said, sobbing softly. "I'm sorry, Gran. I'm so sorry."

"Don't talk like that. Do you know what you need? A nice sit-down and a cuppa tea. You got time?"

"For you, I've got all the time in the world. We have time."

"We ?"

"I, uh... brought a friend with me. Alvia."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." I suddenly intervened with a warm smile. "Alvia Saxon."

"Ooh! A girl! A polite one too!" Teased the old woman. "I like her, more than your other friends, I don't trust them."

"My other friends?"

"Don't act like you're ignorant!" She retorted virulently. "Mrs. Chan saw you with them, wandering around in that van."

The same van that appeared suddenly and quickly. The stunning blue colour was certainly not discreet. It slid down the road and stopped behind us. A young blond man grabbed Mickey, suddenly taking him away from his grandma and I too climbed up after being grabbed by Mickey's arm.

"Who is she?!" Asked the blond man. "No, let me guess, a new rookie, right?"

"Sort of," I replied dryly, crossing my arms.

"I like her. She's got a little foxish manner, you know, in a mischievous, tricky way. I'm Jake, by the way." He continued before introducing himself and reaching out to me.

"Alvia Saxon."

"Now Ricky, you were the one who told us not to contact our families because it puts them in danger!" Reprimands Jake.

"Yeah. Ricky said it. Of course, he did. I was testing you." Replied Mickey, having no clue about what was going on.

"I saw them. I taped the whole thing." Continued the blond man. "They were at Blackfriars picking up homeless people like child-catcher. They must've taken four dozen of them."

"The vans were hired out to a company called 'International Electromatics'." Suddenly spoke the driver, who turned out to be a woman. "I did a protocol search... turns out that's a dummy company established by guess who?"

"Cybus?" I deduced.

"Exactly!" Congratulated the two of them.

"Hey, she's good! You picked her right!" Praised the woman. "By the way, bad news. They've arrested Thin Jimmy. So, that just leaves you."

"Leaves me what?"

"Number one." Jake said as if it was something to be proud of. "Number one on the list. London's Most wanted."

"Okay, cool," Mickey laughed before taking a pause. "Say that again?"

I couldn't help but laugh. I burst out laughing. It was between the amused laugh and the nervous one. After I calmed down, I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, giving a sheepish look to Mickey as he pinched his lips.

"So, who are you Alvia Saxon? " Asked the woman.

"Just a traveler, just passing by."

"And how did you come to fight Cybus?"

"A company that has a whole monopole on companies, technology and whose goals are more than mysterious to the public at large without a rival is mind-boggling and worrying. Because no rival means no industrial spying and therefore dirty business never comes to the surface; And who knows what Cybus may be hiding..."

"Hey! She's more than a pretty face, she's smart!" Complimented the blonde guy as he tried to wrap his arm around me.

"And she's gonna throw you out of that fast-driving van if you dare touch me. Plus, I'm with someone." I warned him with a black stare, to the delight of Mickey's amusement.

"Oh... Uh... well. Okay. " Stuttered Jake as he cleared his throat. "Well, rule number one, don't get in touch with your boyfriend, it might put him in danger. " he adds unnecessarily.

"Knowing him, trouble will find him anyway..." I mumbled as I moved away from the blonde.

And I don't know how long we were on the road, but enough time for me to start dozing off. Car had always had this effect on me; it was so easy for me to sleep in a car and it passed time. When the van stopped, it was now dark. The woman who turned out to be Mrs. Moore and Jake noticed a light in the building near where we parked. This building that turned out to be the safehouse for this group. I panicked a bit when I saw that they both had a gun in their hands as we ran to the safe house. When Jake entered the room, he stopped in shock.

"What are you doing here?!" asks Jake in total shock.

"What am I doing here?" repeated Ricky. "What am I doing there?" he asked, pointing to Mickey.

Mrs. Moore and Jake pointed their guns at Mickey who was in horror and shock. Horror because guns, and shock because it was the meeting with his parallel double.

"Before you do anything, like shooting us, you should listen to us !" I suddenly intervened by attracting guns and looking suspiciously at myself.

And it seemed that arguing wasn't in their habit, as Mrs. Moore hit me on my side of my face violently with the tip of the gun, causing me to fall into unconsciousness. When I woke up, I was lying on the cold, dirty stone with my cheek against it, my arms tied - and fortunately not behind my back - a dull pain on both sides of my head, muffled sounds and blurred vision. I felt as if my head had been wrapped in cotton wool and was turning at the same time, causing an incipient nausea that left a bitter taste all too familiar deep in my mouth and on my tongue. As my vision became a bit less blurred, I could see Mickey, who was sitting on a chair with his arms tied up and wearing only his black underwear.

"He's clean. No bugs on him. But it's beyond comprehension!" he says to Ricky.

Ricky looked at Mickey darkly before he spoke in turn.

"He's flesh and blood. How can this be possible?"

"It could be Cybus Industries that perfected human cloning," tried Mrs Moore. "Or, your father had a double life."

This didn't seem to satisfy Ricky at all, it made him a bit more furious if that was even possible.

"And your name is Mickey, not Ricky," questioned Ricky, circling around Mickey like a vulture.

"Mickey." he said. "My father was Jackson Smith, he worked at the key cutters in Cliffton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back."

Ricky leaned over and said.

"But that' s my dad. So... we're brothers? «

"What else could it be? "asks the blond man, with a laugh.

"I don't know. But he doesn't look like me. He look exactly the same. There's something else, Jake."

"Maybe if you hadn't knocked me out, I could have given you some information." I snarled sharply as I got up slowly and then sat down. "There was no need to hit me so hard..."

"Alvia!" Exclaimed Mickey with relief. "You're awake!"

"That's the only thing you can be happy about Mickey..." I grumbled as I rubbed my head with both hands tied and glanced darkly at his doppelgänger.

"Who are you both?" Asked the woman.

"I'll return the question." I responded turning my gaze to her.

"We're the Preachers," Ricky replied, "As in 'Gospel Truth'. See? No ear plugs. " he said with a gesture to his ears. "While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we have got freedom." he continued, kneeling beside me. "You're talking to London's most wanted. But target number one is Lumic, and we're going to take him out and eliminate all his allies and right now you really look like Lumic's allies. So, tell me... Who. Are. Are you?"

I watched him imperturbable throughout his speech, while Mickey swallowed in fear. When he finally asked the question, I couldn't help but let a wicked smile grow on my lips.

"Did you ever wonder what's up? Beyond this earth? Outside this solar system?" I asked in a mysterious voice. "There are galaxies, much larger than this one, separated by billions and billions of light-years, some filled and teeming with life, with a history and experience perhaps much older than the human one. These galaxies stretch across the universe to its end, to its walls. And behind these walls... there is the Void, the dark dimension; which separates this universe from thousands of others. Universes where magic exists, universes where stones possess the powers of every existing singularity and have the power to destroy and create a universe with a simple snap", I said as I snapped my fingers for an example. "Parallel universes and alternate universes. Where every possibility exists. Where an idiot who is called Mickey Smith instead of Ricky Smith..."

Ricky Smith stared at me, stunned.

"But more importantly, a world where I have a sonic screwdriver," I continued, suddenly taking on a cheerful voice. "Cutting-edge technology that can do a lot of things. Including being free from its restraints," I explained, raising both my wrists, free.

I was holding in one of my hands the sonic screwdriver that Sexy had offered me before the Doctor's regeneration. I had no idea if I was going to use it again at that time, especially since I hadn't really had the opportunity; the Doctor was doing his work perfectly with his own. But today seemed to be the opportunity.

I jumped up and pointed my screwdriver towards Mickey to set him free.

"In the end... You can trust us." I summed it up.

"Because you're from another world?" Jake asked with his eyes wide open, shocked.

"Because we are _not_ Lumic associates."

A beep sounded suddenly.

"It's an upload from Gemini. " informed Ms. Moore as she looked at her computer screen. "The vans are back. They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right, Lumic's finally making a move."

"And we are right behind him. Pack up, we're leaving," ordered Rickey. "You two, are coming with us. I don't entirely trust you."

"It's nice of you to offer us the ride", I thanked him with a touch of sarcasm. "And Mickey, please get dressed."

Mickey quickly got up, grabbed some clothes and headed for a corner where he could get dressed without being seen or disturbed. The trio set to work packing their bags, preparing computer equipment and weapons. My eyes crinkled at the sight of the weapons they were stuffing into a cloth bag.

Once everyone was ready, we headed for the blue van. Ricky went to drive, and we sat in the back. On the way, Jake and Mrs. Moore set up their weapons, prepared their munitions. The van was silent except for the audible clicking of the guns.

About an hour later we arrived at the Tylers' house. Where the Doctor and Rose went. Mickey stayed with Mrs. Moore in on the front of the van while I stayed in the back, the poor man had been forced to pick up a gun. Jake had tried to do the same with me, but the bluff threatening to castrate him with the screwdriver to make me held would have been a simple bullet seemed to have had its effect. I couldn't castrate someone with a sonic screwdriver, come on! And even if I could, I'd rather not find out.

While Mickey was talking to Mrs Moore, I was trying to remember what happened next. I knew the Cybermen were coming, that was the end of the episode. But that was the biggest part of the story! I couldn't remember the smallest details! I was useless and clueless!

I was almost tearing my hair out of frustration, fiddling with my fingers when suddenly I heard Ricky talking and noises of heavy footsteps; heavy enough to be heard through the walkie-talkie.

"What the hell is that?"

I lifted my head suddenly, snapping in the process painfully. I walked towards the separation of the van. My fingers tangled in the net that split the van in half.

"We've got to move, _now_!" I hissed furiously.

"What's going on?" Mickey asked fearfully.

"There's no time! The Doctor and Rose are in there!"

Ricky and Jake ran in front of the van to follow the Cybermen. I argued with the duo in the front so that we would follow the two outside with the van without having to reveal for the moment who the metal beings were. As Mrs Moore seemed to have the last argument, I then felt a growl rise up in my chest as a sharp spike of irritation and fury took hold of me.

"Oh, for Rassilon, **SHUT UP AND DRIVE**!" I shouted.

And without delay, Mrs. Moore turned on the engine and drove the van quickly after Ricky and Jake. She didn't argue and kept her eyes on the road.

"How the hell did you do that?" Mickey asked with a slight hint of fear in his voice as he stared at me wide-eyed.

"How I did what, Mickey?" I asked confused and agitated as I glanced at him.

"That thing! With the bright eyes and everything!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, frowning, not understanding what he was talking about.

Mickey was going to answer me, but he stopped as the Van made a tight turn as it braked at the same time.

Mickey came out to join Rose while she was holding Ricky in her arms. I glanced at Mrs Moore, paying no attention to her faint glassy eyes and grabbed the sonic screwdriver from the inside pocket of my coat while staring silently and anxiously at the scene outside in the cold night. The Doctor stopped Jake from shooting at the Cybermen then seemed to speak to them. The Doctor raised his arms in the air, fists closed; and the others followed him as the Cybermen assembled, became more numerous, and raised a hand towards them in an attempt to delete them.


	24. The Age of Steel

FUCK YES! FINALLY! I did it new chapter everyone !

ah! you don't know how hard it was to write this chapter. especially since I wrote and finished the next chapter before even finishing this one.

I hope the confinement is still not too hard for you; unfortunately it affected me mentally and I went to the doctor for a depression test. Luckily for me I was able to figure it out and I had the courage to tell those around me, although for my parents I had to get help from one of my teachers because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do it so quickly.

I admitted that I had a problem when my dark thoughts finally scared me. I don't want to go deeper, but I thought of several ways for Alvia that were rather dark and painful; and I don't know if I ever said it, but Alvia my oc is based on me (it was a kind of self-insert fanfiction basically) and to come to hurt her was kind of hurting me (Out of chapter 10 and 11).

Anyway, I won't talk much, enjoy your reading and take care of yourself.

* * *

I ran with heart pounding in my throat. My hand reached inside my coat pocket and searched for the sonic screwdriver. My fingers wrapped around the handle of the screwdriver as the voice of the Cybermen reached my ears. The voice gave me the creeps, almost as much as the Daleks.

The Cybermen moved forward, hand outstretched to the group. The Doctor took a few steps back, not wanting to be caught by the metal hands.

I held my screwdriver up in the air, pointed towards the Cybermen and thought about what I wanted to do with the mechanical side of these creatures. As soon as my thumb pressed the button and the sound buzzed, the Cybermen instantly froze. And it was like Christmas, it tried to fight me, and I knew instinctively that I wasn't going to last long.

"DOCTOR!" I shouted. "The TARDIS pod! Use it against them, I can't hold much longer."

The Doctor turned to the appeal, he was surprised to see me. Was it because I was holding a sonic screwdriver and using it against the Cybermen? It doesn't matter.

I was grinding my teeth while sweat dripped from my temple. I grunted as I felt I was about to let go at any moment. My thumb was white because of the strength I was using to hold it. The sonic buzzed loudly and went high into the treble, I felt a force pushing me back that made me gasp and release my grip on the screwdriver.

The Cybermen started to move again, but only for a few seconds as the Doctor attacked the group who were blocking them with the Tardis pod. They screamed in pain as they were all disintegrated instantly. Unfortunately, the remaining Cybermen advanced and we all had to run for our lives. Mrs Moore honked her car horn to let the Doctor, Rose and her father know she was there.

I sprinted to join the group near the mansion. The Doctor caught Pete trying to get back inside and so did Rose. Knowing that the Doctor was doing a good job of convincing Rose not to go in, I jumped into the blue van as Mrs. Moore honked the horn again, complaining that it was the worst escape she had ever seen. The Doctor was the last to get in and closed the door as the van started speeding away from the Cybermen as fast as it could.

I barely had time to settle down and breathe that I was plunged into a chest and arms snaked around me in a strong hug.

"Rassilon thank you, you're all right." whispered the Doctor in my hair.

I gave him back the hug and we separated a couple of minutes later as Rose cleared her throat in a not-so-subtle way.

"I'm fine." I reassured him as I sat next to him and unfortunately in front of Rose.

"And since when do you have a sonic screwdriver?" asked the Doctor, taking the technological device in hand to look at it. " I don't remember building one for you."

"Because you didn't. It was the Tardis that gave it to me just before your regeneration."

The Doctor made an appreciation noise as he kept looking at the screwdriver from all these angles before finally giving it back to me.

"Why didn't you use it before?" asks Rose suddenly with a touch of anger in her voice.

"Because the Doctor does a very good job with his own and I don't need to get behind him." I replied, choosing to tease the Doctor instead of being angry with Rose.

I put my screwdriver inside my coat pocket to put it away before crossing my arms and leaning over to rest against the Doctor with my head against his shoulder. I began to feel sleepiness pointing up his nose and my eyes became heavy with fatigue as the hum of the engine on the road and the wheels rolling on the road lull me to sleep.

"Tired?" asked the Doctor, sliding his hand behind me to reach the top of my hip.

I could feel the Doctor's fingers gently and perhaps unconsciously caressing my hips despite my coat and clothes.

"Hmm..." I hummed quietly. "Car rides always had this effect on me..."

Rose stared at us in silence. Her eyes caught the gestures of the Doctor's hand and her gaze became darker. Her jaw tightened slightly, and her lips wrinkled into an unpleasant frown. She was furious. Furious and totally jealous.

I decided to face her gaze and then a dark eye contest was instantly born. The others didn't seem to realize what happened right now and it was for the best.

Rose frown, hoping to make her expression more intimidating. Honestly, she seemed to make herself look more ridiculous than before. If she had the power of Time Vortex running through her body, I might have thought twice before confronting her... Although... Bad Wolf attempted to hurt me for some reason that I still don't know to this day... I just stared at her without flinching or showing any emotion. Rose looked away after a few minutes, allowing herself to be totally dominated in this war of cold looks.

_Good_... I thought with grim satisfaction. _It's time to pay her back, and I feel extremely generous..._

"So, what was that thing that disintegrated those metal men?" asked Ricky suddenly.

The Doctor took a look at the pod he was holding in his other hand, which was no longer glowing.

"A bit of technology from home." he replied before putting the pod away in the outside pocket of his suit jacket.

"It doesn't glow anymore, has it run out?" worried Mickey.

"No, it's on a recharge cycle. It'll charge back up in about four hours."

"So, we don't have weapons anymore?" replied Ricky.

"Yes, we still got weapons." intervened Jake, looking at Pete.

"It may not work against those metal things, but it'll be good enough for a man like him. "

"Leave him alone! What's he done wrong?" exclaimed Rose in defence of her father.

"Oh, he just trapped the government to destroy it and let Lumic control everything. " adds Jake.

"If I was part of all that, do you really think I'd have leave my wife to them? " retorted Peter Tyler.

"Maybe the plan went wrong," continued Ricky, "but we still have the right to execute you."

"Oi!" finally intervened the Doctor. "Talk about executions, and you'll make _me_ your enemy. A word of advice, you really don't wanna do that. "

"We have evidence, that says Peter Tyler's been working for Lumic since 2005. " said Ricky darkly.

Everyone suddenly fell silent and all eyes turned to the man in question. Rose seemed shocked by this, as if she thought her father was a man with no dark past.

"Is that true?" she asked with a small voice.

Peter Tyler appeared to be uncomfortable and didn't look at anyone.

"Tell them, Mrs. M."

"We've got a government mole who's feeding us the news." She says with her eyes fixed on the road. "Lumic's private files, his South American operations... Encrypted broadcasts twice a week."

"Broadcast from Gemini?" asks Peter Tyler.

" And how do you know that? " retorts Ricky with a scornful face.

"I am Gemini! That's me!"

" Yeah, you would say that! " sneers Ricky.

"Encrypted wavelength 657, using binary 9." Says Peter.

Jake and Ricky took one look at each other, they must have understood each other.

"That's the only reason I work for Lumic, to get information. " continued Peter Tyler in his defence. "I thought I was broadcasting to the Secret Service. And what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van!"

"No, no, the Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's the most wanted person."

"Mickey, if they knew exactly what they were doing they would have searched my pockets during the time I was unconscious and removed the sonic screwdriver. They're amateurs!" I explained. "Even their knot to tie my hands was easy to undo! If Ricky has to be looking for these must be parking tickets, they have to park their vans anywhere."

"Wait, what?! What do you mean you were unconscious?" the Doctor suddenly became concerned.

"It was deliberate!" Ricky justified himself. "I was fighting the system!"

"Really?" I sarcastically sniffed.

"Alvia! "exclaimed the Doctor, finally bringing my attention to him. "What's that thing about being unconscious? Have you been hurt?!"

"I'm fine, Doctor." I reassured him gently, wishing that we wouldn't go there.

I nearly convinced the Doctor. But Mickey had to step in.

"She got knocked out on the side of her head and fell quite heavily to the ground and didn't get caught or anything." revealed Mickey.

At least that explains the pain I woke up feeling on both sides of my head...

"Couldn't you keep your mouth shut? "I hissed as I turned to Mickey.

He gave me a sheepish smile and a shrug while the Doctor grabbed my head with both of his hands and examined me quickly by turning my head left and right.

"I wish someday you could have an adventure without getting hurt..." sighed the Doctor after making sure that I was unharmed or anything.

"So, you're the guy she was talking about? " interrupted Jake.

The Doctor gave me an asking look which I answered with a simple shrug. The Time Lord turned to the Preachers to introduce himself.

"I am the Doctor, by the way."

"And I'm Rose. Hello," said Rose, with a touch of bitterness at not having been introduced by the Doctor as he used to do before.

"Even better. That's the name of my dog. " comments Peter Tyler.

I retained an amused sniff on Rose's face when her 'father' made the remark, but I could feel the corner of my lips twisting slightly upwards.

"At least I have the little staff by my side."

_Ah_! I laugh sarcastically in my mind.

"I knew you weren't a traitor." said Rose, turning to her 'father'.

"Why is that?"

The Doctor glanced at her that told her to be careful about what she would say.

"I just knew it, that's all."

That's not even a good argument at all. But Rose was never really able to make a good argument and in the rare cases where she did, it never lasted long.

"They took my wife." moans Peter Tyler.

"She may still be alive." attempted Rose to reassure him.

"That's even worse! Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living and turns them into those robots."

"Cybermen." Dropped the Doctor. "They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those earpieces off if I were you," he said as he took out his sonic screwdriver while Peter took the earpieces off.

As soon as they were in the Doctor's hand, the Doctor deactivated them with his sonic.

"You never know, Lumic might be listening. But he's set his sights too high, he's just a businessman. He murdered the President. All we have to do is go into the city and inform the authorities. Because I assure you this ends tonight!"

Rickey nodded silently while Mrs. Moore accelerated.

"Cybermen... I'd prefer the Daleks anytime..." I commented calmly.

Rose gave me a strange look and the Doctor was totally sceptical.

"You prefer Daleks to Cybermen?!" he asked in disbelief.

"Daleks aren't human." I said as if it were obvious. "The risk of being converted by them is practically non-existent..."

My throat got tighter as I couldn't even imagine the pain of being converted. Bill's ending had one of the worst ends for one the Doctor's companions. Sarah-Jane and Joe, the few companions of the classic I knew, were one of the few who had a near-happy ending.

"They're one of the rare few things that really and truly scare me..."

The comprehension and compassion was evident in the Doctor's eyes, and as he put an arm around me again for a quick, comforting embrace he said in a soft, calm voice:

"I understand..."

As I silently enjoyed the Doctor's embrace, I paid no attention to the look that was on us, especially Rose's, who was dark, jealous and promising bad things for the future.

The rest of the journey was relatively short. As soon as we arrived in the middle of the city, brief screams were heard, along with heavy footsteps. Mrs. Moore cut off contact and we left the van to see a strange and disturbing scene. People were all walking in the same direction, like zombies, empty-eyed and with their arms dangling, they all had headphones with the Lumic brand in them. Their earpieces were blinking blue.

"What the hell is...? " started Jake.

"What's happening? " asked Rose, quickly rubbing her arms because of the night's cold.

"It's the earpieces. Lumic finally took control. " said the Doctor.

"Can't we just, I don't know, turn them off? " suggested Rose as she went up to someone to remove the earpieces.

"ROSE NO!" I exclaimed, quickly grabbing her wrist. "They're connected to their brains, if you remove them you kill them!"

The Doctor made a remark about being controlled so easily, a remark that made him win a slap to the back of his head from me.

"Oi!" the Doctor complained as he rubbed the barely bruised area.

Jake called us. He was kneeling behind a low wall with Ricky. And to my horror I could see a dozen Cybermen a few yards away from us. They were too close to us... My heart was pounding fast, and I was trembling from fear. To everyone's relief, the Cybermen left.

"Where are these people going?" asked Rose.

"I don't know." replied the Doctor. "Maybe Lumic headquarters, he must have one. "

"Battersea." agrees Peter Tyler. "He used to build his prototypes there."

"Why is he doing this? What's his purpose?"

"He's dying. It all started to prolong his life, to keep his brain alive. At any costs."

"Those living nightmares were created because human beings refuse to accept the fate of Death." I hissed.

Immortality... It's more like a curse than a gift. I can't understand why humans would want to live so long. To live long means to feel more, both joy and sorrow. The simplest examples I can think of are simply the Doctor, Jack and Me.

"I've seen the Cybermen before, haven't I? "Rose remembered. "That head in a display box in the Van Statten's Museum."

Luckily for us this head was dead and even if by the greatest chance it had managed to survive it was now buried under tons and tons of concrete under the surface in Utah.

"Oh, we've got Cybermen in our universe, too." added the Doctor with indifference. "They started on an ordinary world and then they spread out across the galaxy. This is a parallel version, they're starting from scratch on this Earth. "

"What the hell are you talking about?" Interrupted Peter confusedly.

I saw the Doctor open his mouth to speak, perhaps trying to explain our discussion to a man who seemed more than lost on that cold and dangerous night; but he was cut off in his gait by Ricky, his face continually frowning.

"Never mind that. We need to get out of the city, no more chit-chatting. Let's split up, okay? Mrs. Moore, will you look after them, please? Jake, distract them, you go right, and I'll go left. We'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move! "... Directed Ricky before running in one direction while Jake went in the opposite direction.

The Cybermen troop was probably moving towards us and Mickey turned to Rose, telling her he was going with Ricky before quickly kissing her goodbye and leaving too. I had the reflex to grab his forearm quickly as I stared at him in a mixture of anxiety and gravity.

"Don't split up, okay? " I said without further ado.

Mickey nodded, confused, and I let him go to join his doppelganger of this world. The Cybermen were much closer and we all started to run so we wouldn't get caught and killed. Or worse, converted.

We ran, again and again. More than I could handle, but I had to keep going. My ribs hurt, as did my legs. I was panting, desperate for air. I could feel myself slowing down, when I didn't want to, I couldn't slow down. Not with my life on the line, not with Cybermen right behind me. Rose and her dad was in front of me, and so was Mrs Moore. It was too dark for me to see the Doctor, he was probably in front of all of us. He was always the quickest, even in his old body.

But it turns out that the Doctor wasn't all there in front of us. His hand grabbed mine, making me gasp in surprise; and he ran with me. Although it was more like him dragging me along with him.

As we ran down the street, we noticed that there were Cybermen standing in front of us, fortunately we were able to turn into a street that was perpendicular to this one. And the small group of Cybermen grew even larger. We ran again and again, past countless empty houses, running again and again through the dark, cold, damp streets of London.

Until we finish hiding between trash cans of a club, lit by electric blue neon. The Cybermen's heavy, robotic footsteps became closer and more frightening. I put a hand over my mouth to muffle any sound I could make while I was still panting from this vital and painful effort. My lungs burned, and I would kill someone for some water.

Rose grabbed one of her father's hands for reassurance, Mrs Moore was holding some sort of grenade that I thought might kill a Cybermen; and the Doctor, who was still holding my hand, reached up his sonic screwdriver and activated it. It didn't buzz, but it lit up, a few seconds later the Cybermen moved away from us, walking away thanks to the Doctor's intervention. When they were far away we got up as quietly as we could and continued on our way to our intended destination. Thankfully the pace slowed, and we didn't run for our lives like we used to.

We got there first. There was no one on the street but us. We were able to take a breather and rest for a bit. I stood against a wall between a house and the street, choosing a place with not much moisture. With my hand against my chest, I could feel my heart beating fast, but gradually slowing down; my breathing was slightly wheezy, and I was very thirsty.

A couple of minutes later, Jake arrived.

"I ran past the river, you should've seen it. The whole city' s on the watch." he reports. "Hundreds of Cybermen, all down the Thames."

Suddenly a man ran up to us. I would have said it was Mickey, but since he was wearing the same clothes as his double it was impossible to know for sure. And while Jake was hoping it was his friend Ricky, Rose was hoping it was her boyfriend. It was indeed Mickey, who then went to hug Rose while he tried to explain to Jake what had happened. But in his grief, Jake didn't listen to a word and went so far to insult Mickey, telling him that he was nothing.

"We can mourn him when London is safe." intervened the Doctor with a grave and sombre expression. "For now, we've got to move on."

We all agreed, the mood was gloomy and sad; and after a short time, the time to pull ourselves together, we left. We walked in silence to Battersea, Lumic's factory was on the other side of the Thames.

The building had four huge chimneys from which a dark smoke constantly came out with the smell of burning flesh, and there was also a huge zeppelin stationed on the roof.

"The whole of London is been sealed off, and the whole population is being taken to this place." declares the Doctor as he looks at the factory. "To be converted."

"We've gotta get in there and shut it down." says Rose seriously.

"How do we do that?" asked Mickey.

"Oh, I'll think of something." replied the Doctor much less seriously.

"You don't have a plan?! You're making this up as you go along!" exclaimed Mickey with dismay.

"Yup!" said the Doctor, exaggerating the "p." But I do it brilliantly." he added without any modesty.

Rose held back a smile as Mickey had to accept the evidence about the Doctor.

"Show-off." I mumbled gently, shaking my head.

"But you like it." whispered the Doctor in my ear.

I huffed and puffed with exasperation and amusement as I gently pushed the Doctor with one hand as he leaned towards me. The difference of size was clearly apparent. Rose glanced at us with a dark look, I could easily guess that it was meant for me; and Mrs Moore sat down on a wooden bench of a dining table, taking her bag off her back to open it and remove her laptop. She turned it on and typed on the keyboard for a while, after a few minutes she waved to us to take a look at the screen. We could see in a window with a logo and the name of Cybus Industies and a 3D map.

"This is a schematic of the old factory." she tells us. "Look, there are cooling tunnels big enough to walk through."

The Doctor gestured towards the screen, pointing to a specific entry.

"This way, we'll access the control room."

"There's another way in. Through the front door." said Pete Tyler, hand in pocket. "If they took Jackie for upgrading, she'll probably walk in that way."

"We can't just go strolling up." protested Jake as he approached.

"Oh, but we can, with these." Replied Mrs. Moore while she reached into her bag.

In the palm of her hand she presented us two pairs of Lumic branded earpieces. The Doctor took two to examine them.

"Fake earpieces. Dead, so no signal. " the woman said. "But by wearing them, the Cybermen will mistake you for one of the others."

"Then that' s my job. " decided Peter Tyler firmly.

"No emotion should be shown. " warned the Doctor. "Only one sign will expose you and you will be deleted."

"How have of those have you got? "asked Rose with an idea in mind.

"Just two pairs. "replied Mrs Moore , presenting the rest to Rose.

Rose took them before she turned to her father.

"If this is the best way of finding Jackie, then I'm coming too. "she continues as she stands up.

"Why does she matter so much to you?"

"No time for that. Doctor, I'm going with him and that's it. "Say Rose with determination.

"There's no way to change your mind, is there? »

"Nope."

The Doctor nodded and threw the earpieces to Rose. She got them, and she also took her father's arm to go. They were now gone to try and save the Jackie from this world. The Doctor continued talking, but I didn't pay attention. I frowned slightly as I saw Rose and her father from behind as they both walked away. Strange... I don't remember that. No, I didn't remember that because it was different. Because I was there?

It always bothered me a bit to see something that I thought I knew and that changed because of me. I know it was impossible to experience the same thing I remember seeing, because nothing in the script written by Russell T Davies, Moffat or even Chibnall, indicated my presence. On a chessboard I would be a Queen's Power Bishop of a color other than black or white. I was not a part of the game and yet I would encrust myself and make my mark on it.

"Alvia, are you okay? " asked the Doctor suddenly, his hand on my neck.

I returned to my mind immediately and met the Doctor's eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm going into the tunnels with Mrs Moore..." explained the Doctor.

"I'm not going if that's what you're offering. "I'll cut it off nicely. "I think I'd feel a lot better if I stayed away from the Cybermen as much as possible."

"That's what I was thinking too." The Doctor chuckled softly. "So, you'll go with Jake and Mickey?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with that. Oh! I've got a question, will the gold work against these Cybermen? Cos, I heard you fought Cybermen with gold."

"That was a long time ago. But I don't know if it will work with them, and besides, I don't have any gold on me."

I removed a thin ring that I wore constantly on my left middle finger and presented it to the Doctor. I never took it off, except in the shower or when it was too hot, and my fingers would swell up.

"Here, take it. It is made of gold, I got it from my mother and I expect you to return it to me in good condition. »

He put one hand around mine to close it, hiding my ring from everyone's view.

"Keep it with you, it's your legacy and then you might need it more than I do. But I thank you for your concern and considering a way to fight the Cybermen. It's brave of you."

The Doctor took his hand away and came a bit closer to me, his body leaned a little towards me while his hand at my neck inclined my head so that he could kiss me more easily. It was a simple and long kiss, but it carried everything that was needed, love, tenderness, concern and trust. I gently caressed his cheek before we moved apart and put my ring back on my finger.

"Take care of you. "I said with a gentle smile.

"That's what I should say." he replies with a teasing smile.

I let out a chuckle, looking at him one last time before I turned and went to join Jake and Mickey who was already walking away. I trotted over them and put one hand on Jake and Mickey's shoulders.

"Hey, I think you're going to have to endure me for some time."

"Better you than these things. " laughed Mickey.

"Aww, I knew you loved me. "I also joked as I tapped his shoulder without being mean.

Jake couldn't help but smile despite our jokes.

It took us about a quarter of an hour to get to the other side of the Thames and about half an hour to get to the top without being spotted by the Cybermen. But we finally made it, we arrived. In silence, we climbed the last bars of the iron ladder before kneeling on the roof to prevent us from being spotted by the only two guards at the entrance of Lumic's zeppelin. Mickey managed to convince Jake to not kill the guards and Jake then suggested that we use a substance concocted by Mrs Moore.

I was holding the small bottle that Jake had pulled out and looking through the brown glass I could see that it was some kind of salt.

"Is this mineral chloroform?" I asked with curiosity.

"Sort of, I don't know the chemical formula. All I know is that it's enough to knock out those guards." replied Jake before starting to count down.

At the end of the small count, we ran quietly to the guards and forced them to smell the product in the bottle, dropping them as soon as the bodies became heavy and floppy in our arms.

"There must be more guards inside," assumed Mickey.

"So, let's go get them," exclaimed Jake with excitement and a smile on his face.

We climbed the steps to finally get inside the zeppelin, temperatures were much better inside than outside. Jake and Mickey knocked out the last guards who were blocking our way to the control room. And it looked like no one was guarding this room, which made me even more suspicious.

"The path is clear. Let's find the transmitter controls. " commanded Jake.

"What does it look like? " asked Mickey.

"No idea, but maybe there'll be an indication or maybe a big, scary red button. "I assumed as I looked at the various buttons.

"You mean the same one that was on the spaceship at Christmas?" he remembered.

"Maybe! "I sang as a mischievous smile stretched across my lips.

I went all around to get in front of the zeppelin's double rudder. Mickey suddenly panting in fear, I looked back to feel my heart miss a beat. I jumped backwards, hitting my arm hard against the rudder as a scare gasped out of my lips.

"Cybermen! " exclaimed Jake, pointing his gun at the thing.

The time between now and the moment we realized the Cybermen wasn't activated was longer than I'd thought. Jake and Mickey came forward to examine it. The Cybermen didn't move at all, even when Mickey banged on the top of his head, making an empty metal sound.

"It's empty, no brains. It's just a shell, the exhibit model." observed Mickey.

" This is still enough to be dangerous." I pointed out as I kept my eyes on the Cybermen.

"You're getting paranoid." sneered Jake.

"I'd always be paranoid about the Cybermen, if you'd seen everything I'd seen about them... You'd be the same."

I took out my sonic screwdriver and pointed it directly at the metal creature, having the intention to shut it down just in case. I may be paranoid, but I refuse to be surprised and die because we didn't take precautions with a Cyberman we assumed was dead. I activated my sonic, which buzzed and lit up for a few seconds, sparks flew from the Cybermen's helmet and chest as information went straight to my head. I had turned off an alarm that connected the Cybermen to the Zeppelin and I had tripped a circuit that seemed important to me given the number of burnt-out components and the name that had been flashing in my mind.

Jake and Mickey looked at the Cybermen with a funny face as it smoked a bit.

"Like I said, constant vigilance! I was right, no more trouble from that thing anymore."

"Okay, let's go back to our mission, the transmitter." indicates Jake.

Transmitter we finally find. Mickey looked at it and studied it, he had good skills in network systems and mechanics, that was his subject. I rested against the rudder, arms folded.

"Fuck! " he swore after his observation.

"A problem? " asked Jake as he approached.

"The transmitter controls are locked in there. We need oxyacetylene. " he explained.

"What's that?" I asked confusedly.

"Basically, a blowtorch."

"And I forgot to take one with me! "Jake felt sorry as he hit his forehead.

" Why do we need a blowtorch exactly? "I asked again, pointing to the transmitter with one finger.

"See that panel?" Mickey pointed to it. "We'd have to remove it to access the systems, hidden inside. »

"I've got my sonic screwdriver. I think it can do just about anything as long as it's not wood. "I said as I pulled out the sonic device and tossed it between my fingers.

"We can try. "agreed Mickey before he looked confused. "Why it won't do wood?"

"No idea." I explained simply with a shrug.

I approached while Jake moved a little bit to make some space for me. The panel I thought I could remove had six bolts that seemed to be welded to the panel itself. I observed them for a few seconds before bringing my sonic towards one of them and then activated my sonic again, remembering a protocol that the Doctor used once during an adventure.

"It may take a moment..." I warned.

"No problem." assured Jake, behind me.

Indeed, it took me several minutes to remove the first bolt. The rest of the other bolts took about the same amount of time and when I finally removed the last bolt and the panel maybe 15 or 20 minutes passed. The board was indeed hiding wires and circuits. Nothing bad and nothing complicated enough for those days to fry with my screwdriver. The transmitter was now useless too.

The screwdriver was really handy. I could understand why the Doctor used it in almost 99% of his adventures and when it was taken away, he was panicked. I still remember the episode of "Robot of Sherwood" where the 12th Doctor was stuck in a cell with Clara and Robin Hood without a screwdriver. That scene was so hilarious.

"What do we do now?" I asked as I stowed my screwdriver in the external pocket of my coat.

"Let's try to find the others." suggested Mickey.

"How do we do that?"

"Hacking into the cameras? Can we do that in this day and age?" I teased.

"Hey, just because you're from the future doesn't mean we're in prehistory," Mickey pointed out slightly offended.

I falsely began to clear my throat and cough while pronouncing some of the nightmarish features of that time such as Windows Vista, Internet explorer - although that one managed to survive for a while - the size of computer screens and their graphic quality. Really, the early 2000's is really not aesthetically pleasing in terms of technology. It's artistically proven, since it's a period that my style history teacher talked about when I was still in high school.

I raised an eyebrow to Mickey while I restrained a laugh by chewing a phalanx of one of my fingers tight in a fist, as he rolled his eyes to the sky and went to grab the keyboard a further away. Mickey typed code lines on the keyboard, which were displayed on a high screen.

"I'm connected to Cyber Control. They're alive. " informed Mickey a few seconds before the screen showed what one of Lumic's cameras was filming.

On the screen we could clearly see Rose, Peter, and the Doctor; he noticed the camera and innocently turned his head towards it, letting us know that he knew we were looking at it.

"The Doctor and Rose! There they are," Mickey congratulated himself, glanced at the blond man beside him.

"Never mind them, what the hell is that?!" pointed Jake gesturing towards the screen.

Mickey shushed Jake before he typed another line of code that allowed us to listen to the Doctor's discussion with CyberLumic.

Lumic said that he would bring peace to the world and unity and uniformity; the Doctor of course objected because if the world came to such a point then it could no longer evolve and there was no place for imagination in this world either as it would be removed during conversion as Cybermen. The debate was as I remember it; the Doctor talking over and over again, claiming to be the genius in the room, pleading for humanity and human emotions. But Lumic didn't understand that, not anymore and not in a long time. There was no more debate, but the Doctor went on anyway, he was like this, always. That was one of the things I loved about him, that desire to believe in humanity and to see the best in it, despite all the pain we could do to ourselves and to others. I always had that pride that blossomed in my chest every time he made a speech like this one.

"A simple people can change the world," said the Doctor. " Ordinary men and ordinary women; even idiots. All he'd need are the right numbers, the right codes; let's say for example, the emotional inhibitor code. The code right in front of him. "said the Doctor, drawing Mickey's attention to make him work.

He took a deep breath before concentrating and preparing to code again.

"Cause even an idiot knows about computers these days. He knows how to hack firewalls and passwords. He knows how to find something encrypted in the Lumic family database. What was, err, what was that, Pete? Binary what?" continued the Doctor as he gestured to Peter for an answer.

"Binary nine," replied Peter Tyler up his sleeve, but loud enough that we could hear it from the zeppelin.

Mickey repeated in a breath what Rose's parallel father had just said before he proceeded to type on the keyboard. As he typed, and the Doctor continued to speak, numbers appeared on the screen in the foreground.

"An idiot could find that code." continued the Doctor. "And he keeps on typing, keeps on fighting. Anything to save his friends."

The Doctor turned to the camera and winked. It was for me, in some way I knew it was for me. And I blushed, like a young teenager.

"Your words are meaningless." interrupted CyberLumic.

"Eeeh, talk too much, that's my problem! " smiled the Doctor. "Luckily, we get a cheap tariff, Rose, for all our longs chats on phone."

He glanced at the camera again, mimicking the phone act. By this time all the numbers had been found and Mickey typed them back into his phone before texting it to Rose.

"You will be deleted. »

"Yes! Delete, control, hash, all those lovely buttons. And then of course my favourite: SEND ! »

A few moments later Rose's phone rings before it is checked and thrown to the Doctor who grabbed it with one hand.

"And don't forget how you seduced those people in the first place. Making this technology compatible with everything."

"This is for you."

" It' s for you."

"Like this." ended The Doctor by connecting the phone to a module that's perfectly fitted.

Hell was unleashed instantly, the Cybermen began to scream in pain and convulse as their emotions returned. The trio that was trapped inside quickly evacuated, leaving the Cybermen to their fate, along with Lumic.

Jake moved to the rudder before he began to take control.

"What the hell are you doing?! "I asked with Mickey.

"We gotta get out of here. If this factory explodes, this balloon will ignite, and we'll die."

"The Doctor, Rose and Peter are still in there! "I exclaimed. "We can't just leave them here! "

"Bring it back! " Mickey commanded as he pushed Jake out of position. " I said, bring it back! We're not abandoning them, there's no way we're abandoning them. " he continued, taking control of the rudder before taking out his phone.

I picked it up as I called Rose's number before I put it to my ear. There was one ringing tone before she picked it up.

"Rose! Listen to me! Head to the roof, quick! Before the building explodes! »

I heard Rose pass the message to the rest of the group before footsteps could be heard.

"They're on their ways, is there anything we can do to get them up? " I informed them, still holding the phone.

Jake pointed a lever and then activated it. It brought a ladder down to the back of the zeppelin.

"I'm going to the back! " I said as I gave the phone to Jake.

They nodded as I ran towards the entrance. A place I could find quickly. The wind was blowing hard at this height and my hair flew in all directions. I got down on my knees while I held on to a solid bar to avoid falling into the air. Soon the trio arrived at last and Rose climbed up the ladder first, followed by The Doctor and Peter. As the three of them climbed up the ladder, I saw the roof get smaller as we started to gain height.

"Welcome to Mickey's Smith Airlines." Mickey said jokingly over the loudspeaker. "Please enjoy your flight! Woooh!"

Rose climbed up a little more, while the Doctor just a bit below her when abruptly the ladder came down. Leaning a bit to one side I could see that the CyberLumic had hung on to the ladder and was trying to climb up. Peter was close enough to the Doctor to give him his screwdriver. But I learned that the reality was different from what we could know by heart; and the Doctor could not give Peter his screwdriver because the risk of losing his screwdriver was far too great as the ladder moved wildly, swayed by the weight of the CyberLumic, the wind, and Mickey's ability to fly the zeppelin.

And so, I found myself reaching for the screwdriver and using it for the fourth time that night and pointing it as low and as close to Lumic as possible so as not to knock the trio off their feet because that would cause them certain death - although the Doctor could regenerate to survive, but that wasn't my intention either -. A few moments later, the rope broke, causing CyberLumic to fall into the air and into the flames as his factory finally exploded.

I vaguely felt the warm breath of the flames rising as Rose and Peter exclaimed with joy. The trio started climbing again and after this effort which seemed painful - and I could understand it, I would be in the same state if I had to - they were at last in the zeppelin recovering their breath.

Rose laughed nervously at all that had just happened while I looked at the Doctor, Jake and Mickey came, leaving the zeppelin on automatic and went straight to the two Tylers for some assistance. My eyes met the Doctor's and a smile grew on my lips, a few seconds later I was in his arms as he hugged me tightly, his face hiding in my neck, while I was on tiptoe with my arms wrapped around his shoulders and neck.

We loosened our grip on each other slightly without breaking the embrace.

"Hello," said the Doctor with a smile that stretched his lips and slightly squinted his eyes.

"It's over", I congratulated him.

"Yes," he nods "It's over."

We kept holding each other until we finally had to separate. We left the zeppelin which was parked and abandoned not far from the old Lumic factory. Jake and Mickey set off in an unknown direction while Rose, The Doctor and I returned to where the Tardis was, followed of course by Peter who didn't know what to do or where to go.

During the entire walk, which was mostly silent, the Doctor stayed by my side and our hands touched each other several times. I had this urge to hold his hand which was made impossible by Rose's presence and her dark, fixed gaze on ourselves.

But when we finally arrived in front of the TARDIS, Rose preferred to stay outside with her father. The Doctor unlocked the door with his key and let me in first like the gentlemen he was. It was heartbreaking to see the console room so dark and cold and empty of life when just a couple hours ago it was humming with life and joy and flashing its lights happily.

The Doctor walked around the console, taking out the small luminescent green pod and placing it in a specific spot on the console. The lights came back as the humming noise, just like if the Tardis had just awakened, and it made us smile in delight. I giggled with joy as Sexy buzzed and beeped joyfully greeting her return to life. The Doctor also let out a small laugh before stealing a kiss from me and going outside to warn Rose.

I could hear that Mickey and Jake had been returned when the Doctor exclaimed happily when he saw his clothes and coat back. Speaking of coats, I took off mine and my hoodie, remaining in my thin but warm turtleneck. I gently patted the console while I was talking to Sexy.

"Remember the screwdriver you gave me? Of course, you do, you sexy temporal thing. Well I've used it several times today, it saved our lives and the lives of thousands and thousands of people in London tonight. Thanks for building this for me, Sexy."

She was buzzing in joy and flashed her lights which dimmed from time to time; it was as if she was blushing with joy while excited. She was truly the most beautiful thing I had never seen before; the Tardis was one such thing.

But the joy that we both shared didn't last long, the Doctor came back, his clothes in his arms followed by Rose who looked miserable; her cheeks were wet, and her eyes filled with tears.

Then as soon as the door were closed, the Doctor dematerialised the Tardis and we returned to our universe in an equally chaotic but less than fair ride. Rose and the Doctor went to change while I stayed seated in the console room with Sexy, my joyful mood had faded with Rose's grief and I was doing my best not to cry as I thought about my family who were far, so far away and whom I would never be able to reach again.

The two returned in their usual clothes, and the Doctor parked the Tardis in Jackie's living room. Rose went out first and we followed her a few moments later, she was in her mother's arms, surely crying again.

"What is it? What's happened, sweetheart? " asked Jackie. "What's wrong? Where did you go?"

"Far away." replied the Doctor solemnly. "That was... Far away."

"Where's Mickey?"

"He's gone home." I replied gently before chewing my lower lip.

* * *

For those who have dark thoughts, a loss of desire to do any activity, bad sleep and the sudden urge to cry for no reason etc...

Talk about it. with me, with your friends, your lover, your teachers, your family.

because there are people who LOVE and CARE for you; are HERE FOR YOU even if you don't see it.

Talk about it before the idea of hurting yourself happens or worse.


	25. Sweet Time

I never knew writing fluff was so satisfying and comforting/relaxing.

* * *

It was a strange feeling to be in new territory. I, who was used to knowing just about what was going to happen and experiencing what I had already seen, felt like I was blindly advancing on an unexplored path.

Rose, after the trip to the parallel world where we fought Cybermen and met her father's alternative version, had decided to stay with her mother for a while. Her mother, who had forced the Doctor and I to give her explanations in a replica of a children's scenario scolded by their parents. Both of us had to explain to her in broad strokes what had happened and why Rose seemed to be in a miserable way. After that we were chased out of the apartments and took refuge inside the Tardis with the only information that Rose will call us when she will be ready to travel with us again.

The ambience in the Tardis was... how can I put it... awkward? It was the first time we'd both been alone in the TARDIS. Before that there'd always been someone with us, Jack - God, I miss him - or Mickey or even Rose.

Sitting in the pilot's chair in the console room of the Tardis, I observed the Doctor working under the console, maintaining his ship after the two chaotic crossings between the two parallel dimensions. He had removed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, his tie was loosened slightly but still hung around his neck, and he was wearing his glasses. He was highly focused on his repairs; his mouth was a bit open and I could see his tongue bending to touch his palate; his eyes seemed fixed, but I knew that if I got close and paid enough attention I could see them moving at full speed in different directions as he examined and analysed his work.

The doctor had a talent for looking sexy in any circumstance.

"Ah!" suddenly shouted the doctor before he put his finger in his mouth.

I let out a chuckle as I watched the Doctor insult the Tardis after being shocked for the tenth time in five minutes.

"Maybe if you were maintaining the Tardis by following the instructions in the manual that you threw out, maybe the Tardis wouldn't spark your fingertips every time you tried to fix something. " I gently teased the Doctor.

"I know what I'm doing!"

"Clearly not, if she sparks you every time you try something, it means you don't know what you're doing," I rebutted with a cheeky smile. "Just like you don't know how to drive, by the way." I added after a few seconds.

He raised his head towards me, as he made a funny and outraged noise. I simply had a laugh, softly moving my head, slipping a few strands out of my bun, before getting up and walking through the bowels of the Tardis towards the kitchen.

I put hot water on the stove to make myself some tea. My fingers rhythmically tapped the wood on the worktop as I hesitated between two teas. My choice turned to an Asian black tea and I finished preparing my tea by adding sugar and waiting for the tea in the hot, steaming liquid to infuse completely. The rhythm of four resounded repeatedly on the work surface as I quietly tapped my fingers on it when a hand larger and wider than my hand wrapped its fingers with mine, interrupting the rhythm of four. Another arm wrapped around my chest and a pair of fresh lips gently pressed against my neck as a kiss was placed on it. I couldn't hold back the pleasant shiver that followed the kiss before turning slightly on myself to see the Doctor.

"Did you finish the TARDIS maintenance? "I asked with a slight smile.

"Not really, but I can finish it during your sleeping time." replied the Doctor, as he gently moved his thumb in a circle across the skin of my hand.

I hummed softly as I dipped a finger in my tea to test the temperature and quickly removed it. Still too hot.

"What are we doing now? »

"How about a good rest in the Tardis which is now in the time vortex, before we both go off into Time and Space? " said the Doctor gently, with a smile identical to mine.

I tested the temperature of my tea again as I pretended to think. The tea was at proper temperature now.

"That sounds perfect to me." I nodded before taking a sip of my tea.

The idea of a rest was appealing to me. And while I was quietly drinking my tea, some idea of occupation during this time of rest came to my mind. The Doctor moved a bit to give me a better hug and his head rested against mine.

After finishing my tea, we were separated with instructions to meet at the observatory. This room seemed to be the only place for the two of us. I never saw or had any indication that anyone other than us went there.

But before going to the observatory, I went through my room getting rid of my shoes and my belt. I walked to my bookshelf, sliding two fingers over the bindings of the books I read and some books that were just waiting to be read. Some of the books were from the collection that went into this world with me, some were books that I bought during my time at Jackie's, and some were simply books that belonged to the Tardis collection that magically appeared in my collection. It wasn't just books from somewhere else, some were comics, and some were manga.

My choice finally opted for a Shakespearean literary work, Hamlet. The book I took out of the library was from my world and didn't really belong to me; I had the memory of having borrowed it from the high school library, the book wasn't in English, in fact it was in Old French. The book was a copy of the first French translation of the time made for Hamlet. I leafed through the book hoping to find a mark of where I'd stopped last time before I shrugged, starting Hamlet again wouldn't bother me.

I closed the book and grabbed my glasses off my desk. I was careful not to wear this pair during our adventures, even though I knew that Sexy could make me some more if I needed them if necessary.

When I arrived at the observatory, the Doctor was already there, reading a book in a language that was unknown to me and that wasn't human nor Gallifreyan. He was lying on the couch with his legs crossed. His shoes and tie were gone, his shirt was out of his trousers and the first buttons from the collar were undone.

"I swear this couch changes size and shape every time we come here. " I commented with a raised eyebrow.

The Doctor gave me an amused look and simply patted the couch with one hand as an invitation to settle down. The couch in question had in fact become a corner couch, only the color blue remained the same. I came closer and at the moment I sat down on the couch, the Doctor dragged me towards him, abandoning his book and forcing me to do the same with my book and my pair of glasses. Rejecting the exasperation, I began to enjoy the hug, sliding my arms around him as his arms slipped down my back to get even closer to him. I put my face against his chest, closing my eyes as his beating hearts and breathing cradled me.

One of his hands distractedly caressed my neck, playing with my hair and unconsciously tickling me. I raised my head a little to look at him. He seemed focused his mind on something, his brown eyes were staring blankly at nothing and the rest of his face barely showed any emotion. His eyebrows frowned mildly.

I raised one hand and put my index finger on the area between his eyebrows before pushing the skin upwards. My action instantly interrupted the Doctor and surprised him, after a brief moment the amusement tinkled in the Doctor's eyes and his lips pulled up in a tiny smile.

" Having fun? " he asked in a slightly bass voice.

"As I can. "I laughed. "I also save you from unnecessary lines... it would be a shame if your pretty face showed your 900 years of life."

"Pretty face? Really?" purred the Doctor. "Is it just my pretty face?"

I hummed with amusement, slipping my fingers to hair that fell on his face, gently combing them back.

"I think that's enough flattery for you today. It's more than enough for your ego." I added with a teasing smile.

"I added with a teasing smile.

"It's always nice to be flattered by an amazing, brilliant, clever girl." he said.

I blinked at the compliments that were offered before bursting out laughing, taking the Doctor by surprise.

"Such a flatterer and a silver tongue. "I said, wiping away a tear of laughter.

"It's not flattery if it's the truth. " he said, bringing his face closer to mine.

My eyes slipped over his lips before I met his gaze again. One of his eyebrows raised as his lips curled up in a charming smile; a hand slipped up to my neck and brought me closer until our lips finally met. His fresh lips molded and pressed against mine. The difference in temperature would always surprise me. He tilted my head slightly to gain better access and deepen the kiss. His teeth maliciously brushed against my lower lip and I returned the favor with a light tap of my tongue against his. His eyes, which had at one point been half closed, suddenly reopened, his pupils dilated slightly, an emotion floating in the shadow of his eyes. An emotion I didn't recognize at the time but would later identify as desire.

After several minutes of that snogging session, because it had become one - I had been blushing like never before when the Doctor told me with a satisfied and contented look - we had to separate because of the lack of air. Our books and my pair of glasses, abandoned, had somehow fallen to the ground. Somehow, I had ended up sitting on the doctor's lap before he made me change my position quickly - too quickly for me to comprehend all that was going on at the time - and I found myself lying on the couch in the doctor's arms. His arms were like a cocoon and blocked me from moving and doing anything.

"Doctor, I wanted to read! "I protested weakly.

He hummed as he closed his eyes and tightened his arms around me a little more.

"Doctor!" I said louder.

He silenced me by stealing a long, chaste kiss before he pressed his face into my neck, his nose ticklingly brushed against the soft skin that connected my neck and the shoulder.

"You can read later," he finally said, reopening his eyes a bit. "I just want to enjoy a quiet, restful moment with you in my arms."

I relaxed at his words and swallowed softly before I nodded. The Doctor closed his eyes and breathed a long sigh through his nose before taking a peaceful breath. As I observed the Doctor I noticed dark circles under his eyes, the kind you wouldn't usually notice but once you saw them it would no longer be invisible. How could I have missed those dark circles before?

I raised a hand towards his face, brushing with the pulp of my fingers his cheek; delicately caressing his freckles under those dark circles, making him take out a tired sigh mixed with a small moan. I left the Doctor in peace and closed my eyes to rest. Sexy tamed the light and hummed smoothly, then lulled by Sexy's smooth buzz plus the Doctor's breathing and hearts, wrapped and wrapped by his body heat and his arms I fell asleep.

* * *

Willis Haviland Carrier is my hero, he saves my life every summer.

if you don't know who he is...

*imitates the 12th doctor with a statue of Beethoven in his arms.*

_google it._


	26. Slavery

I don't have much to say...

it's late, it's 1:00 in the morning and I wanted to finish translating the chapter into English and post it before going to bed.

Did you know that when you drink coffee at starbucks (like frappucino) it's it's about 10 to 25 spoonfuls of sugar you drink? even if you ordered something simple with no frills added.

That's way too much compared to the recommended daily dose (which is 25g). I learned that from watching a documentary on starbucks.

Also i'm watching a series on prime video, "the man in the high castle". a uchrony, i love this series. i recommend it. and if you don't have prime video... well you have the book (that came out long before the series)

* * *

Before, waking up used to mean getting up for school. It was my alarm clock that rang, an alarm on my phone with the Gallifrey theme that I chose. Now, I was awake thanks to the Tardis which used to slowly turn on the lights while playing rather soft and joyful music. In both cases, I would wake up alone in my bed before I got up approximately 30 minutes later. What can I say... I was a sleepy head as far as sleep was concerned.

Today I woke up in a very pleasant way. It was the first time I woke up in the Doctor's arms - or in someone's arms at all - although we were still in the observatory. It took me a while to wake up and I vaguely noticed that our legs were intertwined; what I did notice, however, was the Doctor enveloping all my senses, his smell, his warmth, his fingers gently caressing my back.

I felt his lips touch my neck in several little kisses and when I let a little moan of sleep escape from my mouth, his lips moved against my skin to form a smile.

"Look who's finally awake." The Doctor whispers tenderly with a low voice; his breath caressing my neck warmly.

"How long I have been sleeping?", I asked in a hoarse voice.

"Five hours, maybe six. I'm not really sure, I slept too."

"A Time Lord who has lost track of time? Ironic, isn't it? " I chuckled quietly.

"Oi, no mocking." he said as he finally laid down to kiss me.

I smiled in the kiss as I raised and slid my arms around his neck. His hands rested against my neck and my jaw to raise my head and deepen the kiss. After a few minutes we parted for air, our eyes staring at each other.

"What shall we do now? "I asked quietly, wide awake.

The Doctor inhaled as he sat up on the couch. I did the same. His lips curled in a pout of reflection and I could see him thinking about so many things. His eyes fixed on me as he started to smile.

"Well, we could go to one of the richest alien markets in terms of products and crafts, and that existed long before the creation of the Earth."

I think for a few seconds before nodding slightly.

"That sounds interesting, are we going to buy some things there?"

"I don't see why we wouldn't. " he said, sliding his arms around me again, kissing my neck again.

I slowly bent my head to the side to give him better access as I sighed in pleasure. The Doctor kept kissing my neck until I made him stop.

"We're never going to go if you keep going," I explained to him as he made a lovely pout.0

And to prove my point, the TARDIS dropped the rest of our stuff out of nowhere, so we could go to this alien market. The Doctor uttered a falsely annoyed sigh as he said the two women in his life were turning against him, which made me laugh.

We got up to get dressed properly. The Doctor had just finished tying his shoes as I styled my hair with my fingers and tied my hair up with a rubber band and placed the pins to hold the most rebellious strands that had slipped out of the rubber band. And we went to the console room so that we could get to the place where we were supposed to go.

The Doctor pointed out buttons and levers to press and pull as we circled the console of the Tardis as it passed through space and through the Time Vortex. Landing was rough as usual but instead of me flying away as I was used to, the Doctor grabbed me and dragged me against his solid chest. We laughed like young children and I kissed him quickly before turning to the doors with curiosity and excitement. I stood up and walked down the few steps to get to the doors. I put one hand on the handle and opened the door and walked out, followed by the Doctor putting on his coat.

The market was so alive and so full. There were hundreds and hundreds of stands, occupied by so many different species and so ancient to the human race. It was amazing!

"This is Vectra in the Xiao galaxy, a neutral zone that serves as a market for many species. " introduces the Doctor by making a gesture towards the market.

"Neutral zone?"

"A neutral zone is a more or less large place where only peace is a law. Inter-species conflicts are forbidden there at the risk of being arrested by the Shadow Proclamation. Several armies of different species have vowed to peace and have volunteered on Vectra as guardians of order on this planet, so Vectra is under surveillance and protection unlike many neutral zones. " He explains as we walked calmly towards the market.

"that's very impressive! This must have taken a lot of effort and restraint for most nations, right?"

"Indeed. Now, may I escort you to the peaceful market of Vectra?" suggested the Doctor as he reached out his hand at me.

A hand I graciously take. And the Doctor's fingers slipped between mine with a disconcerting ease.

We have resumed our walk and entered the market. My sense of smell picked up the scent of spices and hot food as I discovered new colours and my ears buzzed with talk of other species who haggled happily, vacant to their normal lives.

The Doctor made me taste several fruits and dishes with indescribable tastes and strange shapes and colours. I enjoyed this addition to my palette of taste and sensation. One of the fruits that made a big impression on me was Llyöhga, which was an electric blue, a shape reminiscent of a devil's fruit, the size of an apple and the weight of an apricot, and a taste reminiscent of praline and chocolate. As a lover of these two foods, it was only natural that I should love this fruit. The Doctor bought some - about 2kg - and placed the bag containing the fruit in one of his coat pockets, that was bigger on the inside.

We passed by a lot of stands, selling clothes, decorative and functional items, reading materials in the form of books, parchment and prints, art and so much more. Each stand seemed to be unique, none of the stands looked like any other, either in its merchandise or in its merchants. The few stands that made the Doctor grind his teeth were the ones selling weapons; it was with surprise that I recognized one of the species selling weapons at his stand. A Sycorax. But even so, we didn't linger there.

My attention was drawn to an art stand. Well, art supplies, to be precise. I was curious to know the techniques to make art before the creation of the Earth and the evolution of the human race up to its mastery of certain art techniques; this stand offered two techniques that interested me a lot and that I would like to learn.

The first was a technique coming from the planet Diaghilev, a planet where the people had psychic abilities to make their art animated, as if it were alive. While talking with the Diaghilevan merchant, I discovered that some of their paintings could speak but that this required an incredible psychic capacity and that their technique required a minimum of psychic control; which unfortunately I didn't possess because I was simply human - even if my biology differed slightly from that of this world according to the Doctor - and my brain did not have certain psychic attributes.

The second technique was the one that caught most of my attention. It was when I looked at a scene that I immediately knew where this technique came from. The Doctor, who had left my side to go to a specific stand and had recommended that I not move until he returned, would have reacted to the sight of the painting I was observing right now. The painting was in 3d. The only painting, I knew that was also in 3d was "Gallifrey Falls No More" which represented the fall of Arcadia during the Time War. This painting had been created by a stasis cube, which was currently on sale with instructions on how to use it. There were two of them.

I was carefully touching the smooth surface of the stasis cube next to me with my fingertips when the merchant asked me.

"So dear girl, are you interested in the stasis cube?"

"How did you get them?"

"Ah! It's been in my family for five generations. My ancestor knew an artist from the planet Gallifrey. I hear that this world is now lost in flames. I think these are the last stasis cubes in the universe. It's a shame... all that knowledge lost forever. "sighs the merchant. "These people should be mourned too, I doubt there will ever be a people as great as Gallifrey's again. "

"My friend is from Gallifrey..." I confessed as I looked at the 3d painting again.

"Really?! "exclaimed the merchant, honestly surprised. "I thought they were extinct!"

"He's the last one. " I explained with sadness.

"I sympathize for your friend, to be the last of his kind is the last thing you would wish."

"Thank you."

Our conversation turned into an awkward silence, and I continued to stare at the painting while the merchant diaghilevan suddenly appeared awkward.

"You know what?" said the merchant again. "I'll give you a price if you're interested. The two cubes will be at the price of one for you and your friend. What do you think?"

"I'd have to ask him when he's coming back, he's the one with the money. But that sounds good to me."

The merchant nodded with a sad smile before he turned to a new customer. I took a stasis cube in my hand for a closer look. The cube seemed to be made of glass, but the bluish glow that appeared from certain angles and in the light proved to me that it was not a regular glass. It was made on Gallifrey, one should expect much more from such a small object with a simple and banal appearance.

I lay the stasis cube down as I felt a presence behind me. I was about to turn around to see the Doctor who finally returned, but a sharp pain suddenly developed in my neck, so big arms grabbed me as my whole body was about to fall on the ground, drawn by gravity; a hand landed on my mouth muffling the scream I might have uttered. I heard the merchant shouting at the one standing behind me, who was taking me away.

_It definitely wasn't the Doctor..._ I thought before I went unconscious.

* * *

After leaving Alvia at an art stand, the Doctor quickly went to another stand that he hoped hadn't disappeared since the last time he came here. He remembered coming here with his granddaughter and his first companions, Ian and Barbara; and there he discovered a jeweller who knew some of the Gallifreyan jewellery craft.

To his delight, the stand hadn't disappeared although the jeweller has aged since then. He had his head resting against his hand, like he was resting.

"Hello," greeted the Doctor lightly.

The merchant winked with his warm, soft little eyes, wrinkled by time.

"Good afternoon, young man, what can I do for you?"

The doctor smiled slightly to the description given by the old craftsman.

"I came here a... Ooh... Now... a very, very long time ago. I see you've mastered some technique in Gallifreyan jewellery. " continued the Doctor, fiddling his earlobe.

The craftsman looked at him with interest and curiosity before the realization could be read on his face, as well as his astonishment.

"You are a Time Lord..." he breathed, blinking as if he thought it was a dream.

"The last..." admitted the Doctor darkly.

"It is a true miracle that you are still alive after that horrible, monstrous Time War against the Daleks. "

The Doctor mumbled, looking away from the craftsman, muttering words that might have sounded more like "more a punishment than a miracle". The craftsman gave the Doctor a kindly smile, which made the already wrinkled face of the ancient creature even more wrinkly.

"We're not here to mourn the past," reprimanded the merchant. "You're here for a commission, aren't you?"

"Yes. That's right," said the Doctor as he came to his senses and emotions. "Would you be able to make this design with the material in question?" asked the Doctor as he took a piece of paper from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

The craftsman took the piece of paper and unfolded it before he observes, reads and analyses it. He blinked, wrinkled his eyes, then grunted and slid the corrective and vision glasses into his eye sockets. He nodded in satisfaction and turned his attention back to the piece of paper. After a few minutes, the merchant spoke.

"I am indeed able to do this commission. Although it will take me some time. I do possess the material you have placed here. " he pointed to the middle of the doctor's drawing on the piece of paper. "At home. It will take time for me to go to my atelier on my home planet."

"How long will it takes? " asked the Doctor.

The jeweller rubbed his chin in full reflection.

"I'm going back to Takodana at the end of the month, the time it takes me to go back to my workshop plus the time it takes to make it... Mmm... I'd say in 3 months and half a moon it'll be good. Is that okay with you, Time Lord?"

"The Doctor. " he corrects. "That sounds perfect. Do I pay in advance? »

"Half now and the rest when you come for the necklace."

The Doctor nodded and searched in his pockets for money while the jeweller put the piece of paper in a file where it was written in his language " Commission ". The Doctor paid and then said goodbye to the merchant and returned to the stand where he had left Alvia. On the way back, he thought about where and when he could give her the necklace he had commissioned; he thought of several places in time and space, on Earth or not, that would please her and be appropriate for the gift.

_Although any place would please Alvia..._ thought the Doctor. _As long as it's not too hot..._

It wasn't far from the stand where Alvia was. And as he looked for the redhead among the crowd a panic grew in his chest. He walked faster to the stand and felt both his hearts painfully twisting in anxiety. It didn't help him when the art supply merchant, panicked as ever, told him that he had seen her being taken away by two evil-looking people. A Krögann and a Kaïrikhy.

The Doctor thanked the merchant abruptly before he headed for what was the surveillance post in the area, where several armed alien races were busy with several different tasks. One of the few unoccupied ones turned his attention to the dark looking Doctor.

"My friend was taken by a Krögann and a Kaïrikhy, it was a merchant who identified them."

The guard, who did not seem to be completely focused yet, stiffened at the Doctor's words.

"I'll be right back! " replied the guard before he rushed into the office of someone else who was in a higher rank.

The Doctor, with his fists clenched on the guard's desk, could hear:

" Lieutenant, we've got another missing person; We've got a description, this time! "

The guard then returned, followed by the lieutenant of that area. The lieutenant was a humanoid with a body covered by protective official clothing and a carapaced-up head, he was imposing in size and his small, cold blue eyes gave him a cold and strict appearance.

"I am Lieutenant Skryiek," he introduced himself. "I heard that your friend has been kidnapped. Is that correct?"

The Doctor introduced himself in turn and explained everything that had just happened without forgetting the slightest detail. Lieutenant Skryiek invited the Doctor into his office to continue this discussion without any disturbance.

"So, you're telling me, that it was apparently a Krögann and a Kaïrikhy who kidnapped your friend... Alvia, right?"

" Yes, that's right."

The lieutenant got into a deep reflection that made the Doctor nervous.

"There's clearly something going on with that look on your face," said the Doctor. "Tell me what's going on, I can help."

"It's not just something that's happening on Vectra, on other neutral zones as well." hesitated the lieutenant.

"Tell me." insists the Doctor.

"I think we are dealing with a huge trafficking network; until now it was only a theory, we had only identified one of the three races that could be mentioned in some reports. But if what you're telling me is true, it's three races with traditions of slavery that have managed to come together and form a network. »

"Who is the third race?" the Doctor asked, frowning.

"The Sycorax."

* * *

Waking up was particularly hard and unpleasant. My head was spinning and pounding, my stomach was twisting as the sadly familiar feeling of nausea set in, and my mouth was so dry that I felt like I was sleeping with my mouth open during a bad cold.

As soon as I opened and blinked several times I became aware of my surroundings. It was cold, dark and damp. I was in a small cage, arranged with other small cages that also contained people. These people all seemed to have collapsed in despair and seemed to have abandoned. I didn't understand their reactions, I didn't understand this place or what I was doing here.

I sat down, vigorously rubbing my covered arms for warmth. It was so cold that I was steaming every time I breathed. I looked around me suspiciously, tensing at every loud sound, every rattle against the cages that held me and all those people, every sob that burst and muffled.

This dangerous calm that burdened us all didn't last, and the sound of a metal door opening and slamming against a wall echoed as footsteps echoed over the metal floor and an incomprehensible conversation became louder and louder. Some of the people locked in the cages curled up, trying to make themselves smaller than their bodies, turning their faces to the floor to escape a gaze. And what gaze? The gaze of a group of four people.

They were armed, could abuse their power at any time against one of us. One of them wore an outfit that looked scientific with a sort of tablet on it where he wrote some things down, he had a humanoid shape and looked vaguely like the cliché of an alien on Earth; gray skin, larger head, big black and shiny eyes, long fingers... Two of them were imposing, one had two pairs of arms, deep purple skin with a mocking and evil look, while the other had a hunchbacked body covered by an armour, nevertheless his face remained uncovered and I could see that it was covered by thick, sturdy, colourful scales, his eyes were like those of a predatory animal. The last one wore a more flowing outfit with a cape, his head stretched backwards was covered with a mask made of bone, only the eye slits remained red.

The last one was the only race I recognized, he was a Sycorax. Now I could see why I was in a cage...

They talked among themselves, always moving forward and sometimes stopping in front of a cage until they reached mine. I didn't make any noise, I didn't move and just stared at them darkly. I don't know if it was bravery or fear, but if it could keep me alive until I was back by the Doctor's side again...

My attitude seemed to fascinate the group and the clichéd-looking alien tapped his tablet more quickly as he looked at me quite often. The Sycorax spoke and the two alien brutes opened my cage; the one with four arms grabbed me and pulled me painfully towards them and as soon as I stepped out of the cage my arms and shoulders were grabbed by both pairs of arms in a strong, unbreakable grip. My heart pounded even harder as my breathing also increased, I nervously watched the Sycorax and the other alien tapping on its tablet.

They exchanged words again that I still don't understand. I was too far away from the Tardis and the translation didn't reach me anymore, I was completely lost... I didn't speak their language, I only knew one insult in Sycorax - well, I suppose it was an insult, since the Doctor used it in his sword fighting on Christmas Day - but it would cause me more trouble than good.

The hunchback with the scales growled and I was dragged out of the room with this hostile group. They dragged me to a sort of examination room where I was tied up and my top was removed, along with my stocking and shoes, leaving me in my underwear. My body stiffened instinctively as the thought of being... the thought of being used against my will came into my mind. To my biggest relief, it seemed that this wasn't going to happen.

But what happened was not the most pleasant either. My wrists were tied above my head, leaving me no way to hide my breasts covered by my bra. The gray-skinned being stood next to a machine and activated it. Suddenly I compared my situation with that of the Doctor at Van Statten's museum, and from the appearance of the machine I had never been so right. It activated, scanning my body with an agonizingly painful red beam.

I could do nothing but scream, screaming in pain at every analysis performed, with no way to save myself. All I could do was cry in pain and clench my teeth, praying the Doctor to find me as quickly as possible while the ray that was analysing my body was torturing me at the same time.

_Doctor Doctor Doctor Doctor..._ I kept repeating in my mind, like a prayer, hoping that I could be found yet_. Oh, fuck, fuck, it hurts, it hurts so bad, make it stop, please, Doctor, find me, find me, find me...! DOCTOR!_

* * *

I couldn't say how long I was in that torture chamber. Too long. Long enough for my body to go into frequent spasms from the pain created by the scan beam over and over again. I had been thrown in my cage, with my clothes on but without my shoes. I dressed slowly because of the pain and the shaking, but quickly enough so that the cold wouldn't attack my body too quickly. I could understand the others who were locked up like me, why they made themselves as small as possible and fled from the gaze of the Four. I had seen their looks during my analysis/torture, they liked it. They enjoyed every scream, every cry, every whimper, every complaint I could make.

And the brief break I had was short-lived. The grey creature returned, accompanied by the hunchback. They exchanged a few words and the imposing being grabbed me to the edge of the cage by the clothes while the other grabbed my neck with his long pale fingers, his other hand held an object with a short needle which he plunged directly into the soft flesh of my neck. I tense myself to this sharp pain before falling unconscious again. A tear rolled down my cheek to the cold floor.

* * *

In a huge dark gray auditorium there were several technologically and militarily powerful races, all of them sitting and murmuring with each other, causing a nameless hubbub until three people entered the room, causing a sudden silence and a redress from certain races. Although in this trio only two persons caused the silence; the third person entered through one of the back doors of the auditorium.

Among the two persons who caused the peace was Lieutenant Skryiek, who accompanied another member of his species who was much bigger and older. It could be seen that this one was very high up in the hierarchy. The older one walked to a platform and a display stand. On this display was a typographic hologram presenting the man as Field Marshal Klöorvgus, ambassador of the Tluriens on the planet Pälaven. He stared at the crowd for a few moments before finally starting to speak.

"Dear compatriots, dear allies and guardians and member of parliament of the Neutral Zone and Non-Neutral Zones. Thank you for being here in such numbers and for being here on such short time. This is a serious time. "said Klöorvgus in a loud and deep voice. "About two weeks ago we made a horrific discovery about a massive and illegal trafficking network. It was operating in the Neutral and Non-Neutral zones!"

The silence of the auditorium broke as all those who were present muttered with outrage. The marshal waited for everyone to calm down before continuing to speak.

"Unfortunately, we found out too late and more than thousands of citizens of different species were captured, abducted and sold as slaves. Until now we weren't sure, but we do have concrete proof! We have proof that this network was created and maintained by three different races! " revealed Klöorvgus as the pictures of the three races were projected on the wall behind him.

Each race was photographed, each picture showed a different crime. Kidnapping, sequestration, auctions... So many pictures that made the third person in the back of the auditorium more and more furious. The Doctor's jaw tensed tightly as he stared unblinkingly at the pictures projected continuously behind the old Tluriens. The Doctor tried not to think about what Alvia would be going through.

All he had wanted was a simple visit to the market, taking advantage of his attention to a stand to make an order that he would quickly retrieve thanks to the Tardis, then take him to a beautiful and peaceful place that he had discovered by chance one day and offer him the necklace he had made; pass it around his pale neck, feel his chest burn with a soft, pleasant warmth as his hearts beat faster as she gave him a smile so full of joy that he could have died and regenerated instantly.

But no... Alvia had been taken from him and he couldn't do anything but feel helpless. He, the last Time Lord, survivor of the Last Great Time War, helpless when the woman he loved had been kidnapped to be sold to a man with a corrupted and perverted desire.

"We must put an end to and dismantle this infamous network to the last Sycorax, to the last Krögann, to the last Kaïrikhy!" roars Klöorvgus fervently as he pounds his fists against the display, after a long speech describing the network and explaining a plan to end it. "Are you with me?!"

The auditorium, which had formerly been almost silent, became a veritable cacophony as each race present applauded, whistled, shouted, and howled with approval. Each race present, with or without opponents in the same room, united in common purpose to dismantle this vast network of three slave races. They were not foolish to think that the trafficking would stop in its entirety, but this hope and this will to reduce it to the lowest possible level motivated all of them to put aside their possible grudges to free their peoples who had been captured and needed help so badly.

For the Doctor, this alliance, despite the military aspect, proved to him the kindness and compassion that every living being had in them.

* * *

To say that changing cages was good news would be a lie. My cage was actually bigger, the place where I was stored was brighter and more pleasant - as pleasant as possible given that I was locked up - and it was a bit warmer. My cage, which had been really small, was now bigger, was the size of a room and the barriers that had been made of metal were replaced by thick glass with holes to let me breathe. I really felt like I was in a Torchwood cage or Hannibal Lecter's cage.

My cage was more luxurious with a thin mattress added. But this comfort did not come out of the benevolence of a good heart; every day I was observed by the Grey creature and the Sycorax accompanied by two or three other creatures that changed every day, although some of them came back from time to time. When they came, I would sit on the mattress with my arms around my legs bent and my chin on my knees as I silently stared at the group, never flinching for a second.

I had once tried to rebel, to test my limits; I paid very dearly for it. I had been taken for new tests that lasted longer and hurt so much more than the first time; after that I have been thrown on the mattress, trembling frenetically while I couldn't move a single finger without suffering again.

And finally, the day came when my lifestyle changed again. The alien quartet came back and dragged me out of the glass cage and put a metal necklace around my neck. And from the nasty smiles I could only guess that it wasn't just a necklace. They chained my wrists and legs and linked them with strong, unbreakable chains with my strength alone. Despite the clothes on my body, the chains made me look like a real slave. The illustrations of black slave eras that I studied in my history books came to my mind as I was dragged into a ship and space to arrive at a dark place where there were definitely illegal auctions.

In that room there were several non-humans in chains like me, buyers and sellers, and heavily armed guards. The buyers all looked rich and mafia-like, dangerous, and had their hands full of crime, corruption, and murder. The commissioner in charge of the auction caught the attention of the sellers, speaking in a language that I still couldn't understand, while one of the Four brutally pushed me to move forward. The Four gave me to a person who worked here, who also brutally pulled me towards the other chained people who were considered like merchandise.

We were taken to a show stage where the buyers looked at us with curiosity, greed and so many other emotions that was clearly not positive for us. Next to me was a humanoid with ash-coloured skin, pointed ears, silvery eyes and intricately woven white hair. He looked like a dark elf.

A buyer with a perverted eye approached me, ogling my curves. He grabbed one of my feet to touch my skin, caressing it as if it was silk. A shiver of disgust came up my spine as I made a disgusted frown and stared at him. When he suddenly decided to lick my ankle, I did nothing more than remove my foot and send it towards his head as hard as I could. The kick made him fall heavily to the ground, drawing all eyes to me, including the other prisoners. This drew the wrath of many, and while the one I hit was screaming what I thought were insults, I took two punches, one in the face and one in the stomach, plus another kick in the stomach as I fell to the ground - you know the expression, never two without three -. My breath stopped as the pain came up in my stomach.

"Gah!" I groaned, holding my stomach, giving them dark glances. "FUCK YOU ALL! "I swore as I spit a drop of blood on the side.

I took new hits; one to the belly and one to the face. I was sounded as they lifted me up violently before sticking something against my mouth. It was a kind of muzzle which as soon as it came into contact with my skin activated and wrapped itself around my head to block me in any movement to speak. All I had left was my angry, vengeful looks at them as they pushed me back into place.

The alien I had hit finally disappeared into the crowd and after a quarter of an hour I and the other prisoners were taken backstage as the auction started and the guards took us one by one to sell to the highest bidder.

My face was pounding in pain, and so was my stomach. The alien that looked like a dark elf was by my side again, and he looked at me curiously since my revolt. Waiting for my turn, I prayed again for the Doctor to come suddenly to save me. For I would rather die than be a slave for the rest of my life; who knows which perverse psychopath would eventually buy me. So, then I looked at all the guards and their weapons...

Nearly 20 prisoners had been sold before me. Between each person who disappeared from the backstage more than thirty minutes went by and I dreaded with anguish about the future arrival of my turn. I closed my eyes to forget about this place, swallowing with difficulty and concentrating on something other than the hammer blows resounding at each sale.

Screams resounded, I assumed it was a buyer who had also been attacked. But more screams were added and piled up as shots were fired at the mix. Most of the guards who watched us went away to see what was going on while the others stayed for us, raising their weapons a bit to warn us of what might happen to us if we tried something. The shooting continued until suddenly soldiers came in, stopping the guards holding us prisoners. The soldiers who weren't busy embarking the slavers took the opportunity to free us one by one. It was my turn, my ankles and wrists were freed first, and then I was freed from my muzzle and the collar around my neck.

I rubbed my wrists distractedly as I shared confused looks with the other ex-prisoners. We didn't speak the same language, but we understood each other with just one look. The soldiers gathered us together before leading us to the big auction hall. Bodies were lying on the floor and many people were arrested and taken away. I walked slowly, looking around, confused but curious at the same time. I looked all around me until, finally, I saw him. After all this time. The Doctor.

There he was, in his brown suit and long beige coat, with his hands in his pockets. He was chatting with a high-ranking officer, sometimes nodding his head.

I took a few steps towards him, leaving the group and being called out by a soldier, which caught the attention of the Doctor and the high-ranking officer.

"Doctor! "I exclaimed with a sob of joy in my voice.

The Doctor looked at me like a divine apparition, speechless and amazed. I took another step and the Doctor regained his mind, moving forward too. This scene might appear to be one of those romantic clichés of cinema; the lovers running to join each other, one with tears in his eyes - me, actually - before holding each other in an embrace so strong that it looked as if we were trying to fuse together. His arms curled up behind my back, bringing me as close to his body as possible while I slid my arms around his shoulders and neck, a hand even reaching into his hair. We kissed in a single kiss that lasted long.

"Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor..." I muttered endlessly in his neck, as I felt sobs rise up in my chest until I trembled and finally cried.

"I found you. Rassilon, I finally found you. Oh, Alvia..."

"Is it her, Doctor? The one you were looking for? " asked the high-ranking officer behind the Doctor.

"Yes, that's her. It's Alvia," replied the Doctor, turning around slightly but not letting me go. "Thank you Major Skryiek, for everything. Thank you for everything."

"Go home, Doctor. You both need it." advised Major Skryiek.

The Doctor gestured his head slightly and broke the embrace before slipping an arm behind my back and leading me away from the auction house. It was extremely relieving to make the reverse path, free and unchained. We walked out of the Auction House and away from this hellish place to walk to the Tardis. Eventually the Doctor carried me because he realised that I had lost my shoes - long lost and probably never to be found - and he took me to the Tardis. The path was silent, I laid my head against his chest and felt his hearts beating quietly.

When we stood in front of the Tardis, the Doctor didn't need to drop me off and open the doors with his key, because they opened by themselves. We walked in, and as soon as I stepped on the cold metal fence of the console room those doors closed again. The Doctor put down his coat and wrapped his arms firmly around me again. I wept with relief, my tears wetting his white shirt as he comforted me as he knew how to do so well.

After a long time in his arms, crying and being consoled, I broke free from his embrace.

"Can you tell me... what happened to you? " asked the Doctor softly, like I was going to run away at the slightest loud noise.

"No..." I replied with a weak voice. "But I can show you."

The Doctor's eyes widened at the suggestion.

"Are... are you sure?" stammered the Doctor.

I nodded to confirm. The Doctor swallowed silently before he placed his hands on my face and his fingers against my temples. I closed my eyes as I felt the pulp of his fingers caressing my skin and tried to relax as much as possible and drop my mental defences to let the Doctor access my memories.

The Doctor's ancient and imposing but gentle consciousness met mine, wrapped itself around my mind to comfort me, and after a few moments I brought all my memories to the surface until my kidnapping. The Doctor watched helplessly as my person was abducted, locked in a cage that was too small, analysed/tortured, changed cages, observed like an animal, taken to an auction and beaten and muzzled. And he trembled with fury.

_The justice they'll face is too good for what they did to you..._ he whispers darkly in my mind.

_Their condemnation will be the perfect punishment for them. You don't have to interfere, you don't have the right to interfere. _I disagree with the concern of the Doctor doing something dangerous and stupid. _It's over now. I'm free thanks to you. Thousands of people are free thanks to you and thousands will always be free thanks to you._

The doctor slowly withdrew from my mind and once he was gone I put my mental defences back in place before opening my eyes to meet the doctor's gaze. He was angry at the slavers, afraid of himself and in adoration towards me.

He slid his hands gently towards the areas of my face that had been bruised, his thumbs gently caressing the skin without pressing, as this might hurt me. I closed my eyes to the sweet comfort the Doctor offered before I felt warmth from his hands and perceived more light through my eyelids. I suddenly reopened my eyes and could see his hands shining with gold, as if he was regenerating. I grabbed both of his wrists to stop him, wanting to tell him not to waste his regenerative energy on me; but his resolute look made me realise that I couldn't convince him to do otherwise. So, my face was healed by his care, and he asked me if I was in pain anywhere else. Knowing that I couldn't lie to him because he would surely see it now or later I indicated my belly to him and he put a palm against my belly hidden by my shirt. Gradually all pain evaporated until I felt nothing.

He raised his hand towards my face and his hands slipped towards my jaw to gently raise my head, he put a soft kiss on my forehead before sticking his to mine. His eyes showed all the love and tenderness he felt for me.

"Thank you…"

He kissed me, and I kissed him back until I finally got away from the Doctor. The cold of the room's fence had finally numbed my bare feet and I desperately wanted to take a bath and change my clothes and underwear. The only time I could be cleaned was when a bucket of blue liquid was thrown at me and it disappeared a few minutes later; I must have been cleaned of some dirt but the feeling of being unclean still persisted. So, I informed the Doctor before I slipped down the corridor and went to my room and never saw him again that night.

Sexy had certainly read my thoughts, because a hot bath had been run and a sweet smell of jasmine and tea was coming out of it. I got rid of all my clothes - emptying the pockets - before throwing them into a dirty laundry bin and taking refuge into the hot water. I shivered and sighed with pleasure when I felt my body warmed by the water and felt my muscles slowly relax.

I cleaned and cared by moisturizing my body and getting out of the bath only when my fingers became wrinkled by the water. I wrapped a soft, fluffy and big towel around my body before I dried my hair wildly and brushed it. Once I removed all the moisture from my skin, I dressed in an old red graphic Deadpool T-shirt and black night pants before heading to the kitchen where I made myself a hearty sandwich with butter, Spanish deli meats and cheese and a cup of tea.

I went to bed immediately after I fed. Sleep took over me from the moment I laid my head on the pillow. I hoped I wouldn't have a nightmare after all I'd been through...


	27. Terrible Night

I wrote this chapter last November. I was really looking forward to the day when I would publish this chapter.

I have this habit of writing future scenes before I'm even in the right season. For example, I already have some scenes for season 3 and season 4 for my story, while I haven't even finished season 2 yet.

Enjoy everyone !

* * *

It was a constant, irritating, noisy buzzing that woke me up that night. The Tardis, which seemed to want me to awake, did all she could and succeeded. Growling and in a grumpy mood I abruptly pulled the blanket to get out of bed before rubbing my face, mumbling insults in French. I got up, put on the shorts I had taken off while I was asleep and walked to the bathroom to put a cold, wet flannel over my neck and face. My arm raised to pick up a Tardis blue satin robe and I put it on before tying a loose knot to close it and walked out into the dark, quiet corridor.

The Tardis lights were twinkling in a particular direction, urging me to follow the way. My feet met the cold fence at every step, and as I brushed my hair out with my fingers I realized that I had never wandered into this part of the Tardis before. I finally came to a wooden door that seemed extremely old because of its condition - which was still well conserved - and because of the golden engravings representing the circular Gallifreyan that had slowly faded away as time went by.

I conscientiously examined the old door before raising my hand and knocking softly. A muffled response came to me and I turned the handle to open the door and enter the unknown room. The room happened to be the Doctor's bedroom. And the bad mood that I wore as aura before instantly disappeared when I saw the Doctor. I closed the door silently before I reached the Doctor quickly, worried about his current mood.

The Doctor was sitting on the floor against his bed in his jammies, and folded himself into a ball, holding his head with both hands; hands which seemed to sink painfully into his hair and scalp. I pulled his hands away from his head before putting my two hands down so that I could raise his face. His chin trembled as did his lower lip, his nose sniffed softly from time to time, while his eyes, so watery brown, didn't dare look at me.

"Hey..." I whispered softly as if he were a terrified wild animal. "Are you all right, Doctor? »

"No..."

For the first time in my life the Doctor said something other than 'I am always fine' and it tore my heart out to hear that in a broken voice. I moved a bit closer, not letting go of his face but gently caressing his jaw and cheekbones.

"Please, tell me. Tell me what's making you feel so bad. Let me help you. "I pleaded softly. "Please, look at me, Doctor. Don't turn away those pretty eyes. »

As I gently encouraged him, he finally raised his eyes to me. My heart that was already torn by his condition broke and twisted even more when I saw such deep sorrow blended with horror and a terrible shock in his dark brown eyes. Tears began to roll down gently as his shoulders trembled with tearful sobs. I held him in a comforting embrace, kissing his forehead and the top of his head as he clung to me like a lifeline and cried with all his soul against me; his tears were choked into my neck and shoulder and his hands clutched the t-shirt and robe I was wearing, his fingers thrusting fiercely into my shoulder blades from time to time in a mildly painful way. But I ignored that pain to take care of the Doctor; that man who was revealing his heart to me wide open and trusting me. I had never seen him in this state before, the closest was in his last episode when he saved Wilf at the cost of his life and set in motion his regeneration and the last moment when he spoke as the tenth Doctor.

I'd never seen him like that before and it was tearing me apart to see him that way. So as best I could, I whispered comforting words to him, switching from English to my native language with facility. My voice was less hoarse as I whispered in French in his ear. My fingers ran gently through his hair while my other hand softly rubbed his back in a circular pattern.

The cold floor as well as my position later caused the lower part of my body to become engorged and I did my best to get up and get into bed. The Doctor was silent. We were lying on our sides, face to face, my head resting on one of his dark red pillows, his head resting on my neck and his breath close to my collarbone. He was holding me just as I was holding him, my French monologue had finally stopped, and I was humming the tune of his theme as well as that of his old body. Then my humming stopped too, plunging us into silence.

"Do you want to tell me what happens? " I asked him gently, as I spoke English again.

For a few moments he didn't answer, but finally there came a shaking sigh before he backed away slightly so that his voice wouldn't be muffled.

"I counted them. I counted all of them. "he whimpered.

I frowned as I couldn't understand what he had just said until the light in my mind lit up and my eyes widened, the horror swelled my chest as I took a deep breath.

"All those children who were on Gallifrey that day during the war and that I burned. I counted every one of them..." he continued in his confession with a sob in his voice.

"Why did you do that? Why are you torturing yourself in such a way"

"I had to... And there were so many of them. So many children whose lives and hopes and futures I ended... "

He started sobbing in my shoulders again, his cries turned into a heart-rending scream. Now I understood why the Tardis had awakened me. It was that terrible night when he began to count the number of children on Gallifrey. I tightened my grip, wiping away the flowing tears, kissing his forehead and cheeks and whispering a litany of comforting words.

I don't know how long it took me to get his tears and sobs dry. The Doctor who was so tired from crying and sobbing seemed to be able to sleep in a few seconds, but even so he stayed awake. At one moment I had finally settled down again, my back against the headboard with a cushion to relieve the stiffness and coldness of the metal frame. The Doctor had wrapped his arms around me and placed his head against my belly, I gently scratched his scalp, triturated the soft strands and gently rubbed his temples, when he started to speak again.

"Do you know how many of them there was? "he asked carefully.

I hummed an affirmation. It was horrible to know the exact number even though it never happened.

" Even before I counted them during this night"

" Since the first time I breathed in this world. "I affirmed with slight shame.

"You must think I'm a monster..."

I suddenly grabbed his chin to lift him up and stare at him seriously. He was surprised by my action.

"Don't you dare say that Doctor... Not once, not once in my life have I even thought that you were anything but a good man. "

"But I've killed billions of people, my own people! I've caused the genocide of two species, including my own! "he retorted as he stood up and levelled himself at my level, firmly grasping my shoulders.

" You're the man who makes an impossible choice at a time when no one dared or thought to make that choice. Your choice cost the lives of billions of people, your family and your home world; but it saved the rest of the Universe and more lives than I can count. "

"And that's it, that's why I'm not a good man! "

"But you're trying to be. You try to be a good man and that's all that matters in the end; that's all that matters to me..." I whispered, caressing his cheek reverently.

His grip on my shoulders relaxed and I could see in his eyes the confusion, he didn't know what to think or believe anymore. He opened his mouth several times, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he sighed, putting his forehead against my shoulder and putting his arms around me again.

"And I'll always be there to set your mind straight if I have to. " I told him after a few minutes of silence.

"Always? "he repeated, lifting his head up.

"Well, as long as I'm on the Tardis with you. As long as you want me by your side"

"What if I want you to be here with me until the _end of time_? "

"Then so it shall be." I concluded with a loving smile.

His eyes fixed into mine, looking for the lie and the truth. The silence which had returned to the Doctor's bedroom was comfortable, pleasant, and delicate, though there was still that touch of sadness in the air. The Doctor put his forehead against mine, never breaking our eye contact. Until now, I hadn't paid attention to his scent. It was different from his old body, the smell of old leather had been replaced by the smell of black tea and a slight touch of banana, and he still had the smell of "Time" on him. And as I was subconsciously memorizing his smell, he moved his face to get even closer to mine.

Her lips finally came to rest against mine and I kissed him back. No one sought dominance over another, he sought comfort and I gave it to him, he sought love and I loved him. His lips were cool against mine and slightly cracked, but I didn't care. All I cared about was him and him alone. His hands instinctively placed themselves against my cheek and back. Sometimes the kiss would get deeper and a moan or groan of pleasure would come from us before we would calm the kiss and go back to the beginning, to a gentle and simple kiss. His lips came off mine and slid down my cheek, jaw and neck. He put little kisses on them and I sighed, shivering with pleasure.

My hands slipped to join his and intertwined our fingers. He returned to my level and kissed me again before stopping, putting his forehead against mine, breathing deeply as his eyes were closed. I could feel his hearts beating in his chest, beating against my own chest which was lifting because of my own heartbeat. He reached my hand up to his lips and placed them against the back of my hand for a long time before falling beside me in his bed, one of his hands leaving mine to caress my cheeks with affection.

I moved to sit on the edge of his bed, ready to return to my room; but he held my wrist gently to stop me, and begged me in a wailing, moaning voice that I might break the heart.

"Stay... Please..."

And I stayed with him in bed. We hid under the blanket, trying not to feel the cold. Usually in this body the Doctor preferred to hold someone rather than being held, but tonight seemed to be the exception. He went to seek comfort in my arms which I tenderly wrapped around him. His head rested in the hollow of my shoulders, his hair tickled my neck, and his breath caressed my collarbone. My hand slid up to the back of his neck, which I massaged lightly until I became drowsy and began to fall asleep.

"Good night, Doctor. "

"Good night, Alvia..."

Just before falling into a deep sleep I took one last look at the doctor who had his eyes closed and was breathing deeply. His face was marked by grief and seemed so young and old at the same time. I prayed mentally for the Doctor to get better tomorrow and that in spite of that terrible night and that terrible knowledge he would still be the cheerful and full of life man that I knew. Tomorrow would be a new day.


	28. Aen Seidhe

WOOOW ! OH! AH! that's a good entrance right ?

anyway! Guys! new chapter!

I loved writing it. Just like I'm gonna love writing the next one. I'm not telling you spoilers. ;)

The new cover is made by myself!

Also, the title of the chapter might change in the future. i have no idea of a name for this chapter. so i took the name of the music that mainly inspired this chapter. It's from the video game The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt.

please don't hesitate to leave a reviews, I love reading reviews.

* * *

The doctor was the first to wake up. He didn't feel like he had been sleeping and was tired, so tired. He sighed as he slowly rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. While he became aware of the events of last night, he heard a slight sigh right next to him; turning around, he saw a redheaded, tangled head sleeping in his bed. Alvia...

Alvia who had been with him in one of his rare moments of weakness; in one of his rare moments he didn't feel like the doctor anymore, but like a man who had exterminated his own people. She, who had been there for him, to comfort, support and love him.

He didn't deserve her... He didn't deserve her love, her friendship and everything she offered him.

He looked at her and removed a few locks from her face, his fingers gently caressing the soft, pale, warm skin. He saw her face again, emptied of all the usual stress and exhaustion she used to wear on her face. To his astonishment, he noticed pearls of tears hanging from her lashes.

_She cries in her sleep_? he observed with sadness.

One of the pearls of tears had grown large enough to start rolling over her face towards the cushion. He wiped it off with his thumb before putting a kiss on the top of her head. His gesture seemed to have woken her, for she moaned as she began her waking process. It took her a few minutes before she finally opened her eyes and met his.

* * *

"Hey..." I greeted softly, my mind still wrapped by sleep.

"Hello Alvia..." the doctor murmured quietly with an almost invisible smile.

I closed my eyes before reopening them a moment later, taking a deep breath that sounded strangely like a sigh.

"How do you feel? "I asked him, remembering the events of the day before.

"I'm alright. "

_Liar..._

I knew that answer. So classic from him.

I finally got up, standing on my elbow while my other hand rested against his thatch-free cheek.

"How do you really feel? "I asked him again, with a slight insistence.

The doctor put his hand against mine to deepen the contact against his cheek before he let himself fall into bed, dragging me against his chest. He stared at me silently and I waited patiently for his answer. I knew that I couldn't rush the doctor to answer me at the risk that he would turn his back and keep everything he felt inside. What had happened last night was an unbelievable proof of the trust he had in me.

A trust that I didn't really think I deserved, but which I cherished with the utmost care. Knowing about the doctor's past was an honor coming from him and being able to be there for him as he counted Gallifrey's lost children was something so important that I would not be able to describe it.

He sighed finally before answering.

"Tired, exhausted, empty..." he murmurs. "I feel like I can't be the doctor anymore, like I don't have the right to. "

I moved to be bent over him, sitting on my lap and my other hand reaching to his other cheek to raise and turn his head so he could face me.

"It's just a dark moment. A very, very dark moment that you can get up from, that you have to get up from. _We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are_. And I told you, I'll be there for you; in your good times and your bad; until you don't want me by your side anymore..."

"Until the _End of Time_..." he whispers, staring devoutly at me.

"Exactly..." I whispered in affirmation as I leaned in a bit more to kiss him.

His free arm slipped behind my back as we tenderly and passionately kissed. A few minutes later the kiss ended, and the doctor blinked his eyes with confusion.

"It was a Harry Potter quote, wasn't it?"

I suddenly burst out laughing as I nodded.

"Sirius Black," I said. "It was him or Dumbledore."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile, stretching his lips as he chuckled too. With the Doctor's bad mood gone, we began to talk about anything and everything; staying in his bed, warm under the blankets.

Several hours passed before we finally got out of the bed and separated to clean ourselves each in our own bathroom and get dressed before we found ourselves back in the console room.

"Do you know what I want? "I asked cheerfully, leaning slightly backwards and resting quietly against the Tardis console. "A French breakfast."

I was drooling over the memory of a French breakfast.

"Oooh! That's a brilliant idea! Plus, I know exactly where and when we could have that breakfast !"

"If you say anywhere but France, I swear, I'll drive the Tardis myself to get you into France."

"Nah! No worries! " reassured the Doctor. "So, I was thinking, Paris. 1853 or 1900; your choice."

"1900. " I decided after a few seconds of reflection. "If my memories from my classes are right, it's the year of the World's Fair in Paris, isn't it?"

"Exactly, I thought this might be a good place to visit and-"

The Doctor was cut off by a strange noise that echoed through the Tardis.

"What?!" he exclaimed.

The noise resounds again.

"It's not the TARDIS, I assume? What is it?"

The Doctor went to the screen which displayed several constantly evolving Gallifreyan circles. He leaned over to read the Tardis analysis.

"It looks like some kind of signal. It's resonating through the Time Vortex in a loop. "he said as he took out his pair of glasses and put them on his nose.

"Is it a distress signal? "I asked curiously.

"Weell, I said signal, but it's not really a signal. I don't know what it is, I've never seen it before."

"Should we trace the source of that sound? It almost makes me think of the whales singing..." I remarked.

It was true that the sound reminded me of the whales' song, but it also reminded me of the signal that had resounded on Trenzalore. The sound, the rhythm; it was almost the same signal.

"The source must be incredibly powerful to resonate into the Time Vortex. I don't understand how it can be even possible! " deduces the Doctor with fascination.

"We should go and see what it is, something that resonates through the Time Vortex is certainly not to be taken lightly."

The Doctor agreed, and he started the Tardis piloting sequence in a quarter of a second. For once, I wasn't helping with the piloting; tracking the source of the "signal" was apparently a complex procedure that the Doctor preferred to do alone to prevent the risk of me making a wrong move.

So, I watched the Doctor go around the console, almost like he was dancing. Every movement seemed to be a different position, like in ballet. He would bend over the console to reach a switch near the rotor before twisting to reach another button; sometimes he would raise one leg to reach another mechanism to operate the console. He was fast, flexible and efficient. And despite the fact that the trip through the Vortex was chaotic, it was a trip that seemed to have been mastered after many centuries of living. The Doctor had most likely reached the happy medium of an orderly chaos.

After a quarter of an hour / twenty minutes traveling through the Time Vortex, we finally reached the signal source. The signal was still echoing over and over again in the Tardis and seemed to have increased in volume since then. As soon the TARDIS became calm, the Doctor stood still and seemed to be focused on something. This thing seemed to be really bothering the Doctor, for he had a serious look on his face which I saw very seldom, his lips were slightly moulded into an expression which I couldn't quite figure out yet.

"We haven't actually landed on the planet where the signal is coming from," tells me the Doctor. "I just want to check something before I materialise the TARDIS," he adds after a few seconds before he heads towards the TARDIS doors.

I approached too and saw what was in front of us as soon the Doctor opened the two squeaky doors.

It was a rather imposing planet - like all planets, by the way, as seen from space; but it looked imposing in a way I cannot explain - and dark; instead of having a sun, the planet had only a black hole as imposing as the planet for a source of light.

I was going to ask the Doctor about the planet and the black hole but then the Doctor interrupted me and sniffed loudly and licked his lips several times. His face twisted deeply in a grin of disgust and made a nauseating noise.

"Something wrong, Doctor?"

"This system is corroded by dark matter more than any other system or galaxy. It's like an extremely heavy, disgusting perfume."

"Is the signal coming from that planet? »

"Yes" nodded the Doctor as he closed the doors, forcing me back inside the Tardis.

The Doctor finally materialised the Tardis on the planet and then made a sign to stop me from doing anything because he needed to talk to me, and because he looked so serious, it was something important now.

"Before we go out there, we must prepare ourselves. The Tardis hasn't been able to materialise where the signal source is. We've landed on a hill a few miles from a gigantic antique city."

"Okay," I agreed, nodding seriously. " So, what should we take?"

"I take care of the food, medical supplies and potential sleeping equipment. I'd like you to bring along something to take notes, sketches, photos."

"We're doing an archaeological dig?"

The Doctor grimaced at the word archaeological before he spoke again.

"Sort of," he said. "This planet is known only for its strange solar system and ancient ruins. "

"Not even his people? "

"That's the thing, there's currently no record, no mention of a civilisation. Not even a trace of the city's architects. "

"How is that even possible? From what I know about archaeological digs, even for an antique site you can somehow identify a civilization."

" Well, like I said, absolutely nothing to identify any possible ancient life forms on this planet. »

I huffed and puffed in disbelief at the Doctor's explanation. I was fascinated and excited by the fact that we might discover something that currently had never been known, but I had this fear of what we might discover. There was certainly a reason that we didn't have any trace, any mention of a civilization, which potentially was a knowledge that could put our lives in danger. I mentally shook my head, I was too paranoid.

The Doctor finally moved to pack up the stuff, and I did the same, heading to my room knowing that I would find most of what the Doctor had asked for.

As I went into my room, I walked to the place where I had put all my art stuff that I carried with me since I moved into this world; I picked up my pencil case and sorted the different pencils and pens to get only the essentials. I prepared another pencil case that consisted of watercolour pencils with a brush that could hold water and several classic brushes of different shapes and sizes.

Finally came the notebooks; I took at least three of them. These three notebooks were journalistic, travel and drawing notebooks; they all had a different paper weight, size, thickness and number of pages. And I really hoped that the three notebooks would be enough.

I put the notebooks and the two pencil cases in a leather mailman's satchel bag, kindly offered by Sexy by making it appear on my bed. I added a camera - which I owned since Christmas and which I had used very few times - a box to store my glasses and the jar of my nanogenes. The last one was an impulsive addition, but I knew it could still be useful.

Once the bag was done, I took the opportunity to change myself into clothes that I was truly comfortable wearing for several days. If the Doctor had mentioned the sleeping equipment, I could only highly guess that we were going to be on this planet for at least a whole day and night. So, I changed into an old Levi's jeans that had belonged to my mother with a brown leather belt, a light grey graphic short-sleeved t-shirt with a round collar - with the MACUSA emblem on it - and as always, a pair of red converses. I finally put on a black hooded sweatshirt and my frock coat – which was clearly the 12th's one adapted to my morphology – , put the shoulder strap of the bag on one shoulder, placed my phone in one of my pockets and went to take my sonic screwdriver placed on my desk with some rubber bands and a pair of pins for my hair.

I'd tie my hair in a ponytail and pin the rebellious locks with pins on the way to the console room. There I would find the Doctor, and he packed the stuff into his coat pockets; don't ask me how he could get something bigger than the seam of the pocket in, I couldn't figure it out myself, all I knew was that they were bigger on the inside.

"I'm ready. "I told the Doctor as I put my screwdriver in the inside pocket of my coat.

"Right! Here, take this flashlight. Each of us will get one. "he said, handing me the item in question.

I took the item and put it in my bag and watched the Doctor finish putting the rest of the medical supplies in his pockets.

"I took my nanogenes just in case. " I said as he took the last roll of bandages.

He greeted me with a joyful smile and laughed lightly before he kissed me.

"Oh, you're brilliant! I completely forgot you had them! "he exclaimed joyfully.

I sniffed with fun until I got serious, placing my bag properly on my shoulders so I wouldn't get tired quickly.

"Is everything okay? Can we go now? "I asked while the Doctor put on his coat.

He hummed affirmatively, giving me a quick look and a smile.

So, we finally left the Tardis, the Doctor locking the doors with his key which he then put in one of his pockets; I tapped my chest to check that I too had my key and it was indeed around my chain with my ring.

This world was one of the darkest I'd ever seen before. The sky was dark, covered by equally dark clouds and only the black hole lit up the planet with a faint light; it was as if the planet lived in a constant twilight, it was like the Twilight Realm in Zelda Twilight Princess. The weather was damp and cold, but there was no wind to make the place even less welcoming than it already was. There were no signs of life, not even the song of a bird or the howling of an animal; it was like life itself left the planet. Even nature seemed to be dead, there were very few trees, and they weren't moving because of the absence of wind; there was no grass and we were walking on dark, ashen land.

The walk to the antique city took about an hour. An hour that we filled with cultural, scientific and literacy discussion. Arriving at the gate of the old city, we felt tiny in front of the gigantic and imposing architecture. The stones were covered with a dark greenish moss and the most precise details that may have been there in the past were erased due to the stone's erosion.

The architecture of the ruins undoubtedly reminded me of the lost Inca and Mayan temples that could be seen in movies like Indiana Jones or video games like Lara Croft or even Zelda Breath of the Wild with the ruins of the Firone Forest.

After a few minutes of observation, fascinated by just the entrance to the ruins, we walked in an almost religious silence inside the city. It was like changing world in a blink. While the world was almost a desert of dark dirt and ashes, without any vegetation, the ruins were its opposite; they were covered with moss, lianas and trees that had grown in every crevice between the stones they could find, displacing it as they grew. Vegetation had also grown on the ground between each slab of stones.

"How can vegetation grow here but not on the rest of the planet? "I asked confusedly, looking at the two distinct areas.

"No idea..." replied the Doctor, also confused. "I have a feeling we're not done asking questions about this place yet."

I nodded before muttering that I was going to write down this contradiction on paper, taking the opportunity to take out a notebook and my pen. As I walked deeper into the city, I described the city on paper, adding what the Doctor noticed in addition to what I as a simple human was unable to detect; such as the composition of the ambient air and its quality in relation to a Time Lord and a human.

The main street in which we walked separated into a junction of five streets, this junction that connected the streets to the main one was a kind of small square with a low wall in the middle that surrounded a shallow hole, half covered by vegetation and with plumbing that seemed to be obstructed. The Doctor and I deduced that it was a pond.

Once the pond was examined, the doctor decided to take a break, which I absolutely didn't refuse. The Doctor took out of his pockets two apples and water; our breakfast. I bit the apple as I approached one of the statues that surrounded the place. It must have been about three, four metres long and it had a sort of dragon's head – well, I suppose it was a dragon, that's just an interpretation of what I saw –. I took some sketches of the statue, drawing it from every possible angle. As soon as the sketches and drawings were finished, just like my apple, I went back to the Doctor's side. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned a lot of things with it. He was sitting on the edge of the pond wall right now, the screwdriver by his ear, listening to the results he took.

The Doctor borrowed one of my notebooks to write down what he discovered, reading over his shoulder I saw that he wrote in Gallifreyan and English. His English handwriting was so dreadful, and I could barely read what he wrote. As soon as he finished writing down everything he needed to write down, we returned to our exploration of the city.

We had finally found a routine for the day: as soon as we discovered something, I would take sketches, drawings and notes while the Doctor scanned the area or particular thing and then write it down next. We noticed several things: first of all, the absence of any furniture in the houses, temples or shops; the few pieces of furniture that we found were in some temples and were made of stone. The second thing was script, or rather the engravings that we discovered-and which we copied religiously and methodically-in the biggest temples, on walls or sculptures. We discovered two different alphabets, both had a different, even opposite style: while one had the appearance of a Nordic rune, the other was reminiscent of Mayan writing and Sheikah alphabet.

Night fell slowly, and the ancient ruined city, already dark from the limited light emitted by the black hole, fell into utter darkness. Taking out our flashlights had become a real necessity. To prevent us from losing each other, the Doctor preferred to hold my hand - not that I was complaining - and we went looking for a place where we could rest safely. The city, which was already so empty of life, took on a haunted aspect with appearance of a thick mist. That's when a strange sensation to be observed stung the back of our necks.

And we, who thought that the ruined city was safe until then, were so wrong as ever. In the empty and silent streets resounded heavy footsteps with a metallic dissonance. I glanced anxiously at the Doctor who was completely alert. The heavy footsteps seemed to come closer in our direction and amidst the mist lighted by our flashlights appeared a massive silhouette. Advancing slowly the silhouette became more distinct and turned out to be a huge heavy flat armour with horns on the helmet, a thick rectangular shield and a heavy sword which was undoubtedly sharp enough to kill us in a single attack if it came to kill us. And in this spectral silhouette shimmered a pair of light blue eyes.

The armour was now within a few yards from us, and the thought of running away seemed to me to be the better idea. Because I'm pretty sure that thing protected by its armour _wasn't _nice _at all. _

"We must run away. "I hissed to the Doctor quietly as I could.

"Good idea, Alvia. Very, very good idea..." swallowed the Doctor, his eyes never leaving the silhouette for a moment.

it suddenly stops, bringing us to an immediate standstill.

His pale blue eyes turned crimson and then bright red as his grip on his massive weapon firmed up.

Without any warning, the Doctor dragged me along with him as he chose to retreat. The creature began to track us and seemed to be just as quick as we were despite its heavy armour. The adrenaline coursed through my veins as my heart began to race.

We ran again and again, chased by the spectral armour. In the ancient city plunged in the mist began to glow in a soft blue the runes of Mayan appearance and in crimson, the runes of northern appearance. And from the temples with crimson runes appeared other spectral armours which also started sometimes to hunt us down after they spotted us too.

"Those things are going to chase us until we can't run away from them anymore!" remarked the Doctor as he tightened his grip on my hand.

"Let's hide in some temple with blue runes!" I suggested, panting, my lungs and legs aching.

The Doctor promptly nodded in agreement and we ran looking for a temple with blue runes. This was rarer than the crimson rune temples, but finally we found one. One that we almost didn't reach, as two spectral armours patrolled near the entrance of the temple. They were alerted by the noises made by the dozen or more spectral armours behind us. The Doctor almost got a blade thrown at him, forcing us to let each other go.

And we rushed into the blue temple. As soon we were inside, the blue runes that gleamed intensified in their luminosity and the ground glowed with a soft blue light. The armours stopped at the gate of the temple as if an invisible barrier prevented them from entering; they turned around, turning their heads from right to left as if they were looking for us, unaware of our position, and finally they departed, leaving the temple to start walking again through the streets of the great old city.

As soon as all the spectral armour were sufficiently far away from our audition, we allowed ourselves to breathe.

"No life forms you said, huh?!" I hissed vindictively at the Doctor.

"I don't understand!" he replied, his face turned towards the gate of the temple, the sonic screwdriver sticking out. "The sonic's not detecting any life forms other than us two!"

"They all looked very much alive to me! "I groaned as I sat on the ground against an altar made of stone, taking my bag off my shoulders and putting it next to me. "Anyway, I don't go out again until they're gone. They must be all over the city."

"Did you see where they came from?" asked the Doctor, sitting down too.

"It appeared as soon as it got dark and misty."

"Not only that, some have come out of the places with the crimson runes. These are the temples we've seen the most."

"Do you think it has something to do with the signal?"

"There's got to be one. Those armours aren't there by accident," said the Doctor.

I couldn't think of anything to say. My mind couldn't connect everything we'd experienced today, from the discoveries we made during our exploration to the escape to save our lives.

So, I sighed, resting my head against the stone altar to observe the fissured and vegetated roof. And the Doctor prepared a camp for the night; starting a fire with some branches that he collected from the temple. I observed the altar, lighting the glowing runes with my flashlight and touching them carefully with my fingertips, curious and fascinated. What was the power that gave life to those runes and prevented the spectral guardians from entering the Temple? What was its origin and purpose? What was the history of this city? Was it tragic? Dramatic?

I was suddenly startled as a hand came to rest against my shoulder and when I turned to see the Doctor, with a sweet smile on his lips.

"Shall we eat? "he asked calmly.

I nodded and joined him around the fire, where some kind of mattress-sleeping bag lay. The dinner was silent, and we didn't linger to go to bed. We were separated by the small campfire, but it didn't take long before one of us abandoned his mattress to sleep with the other. The Doctor wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the top of my head, and I watched the campfire in silence as the footsteps echoed outside throughout the town. I couldn't tell when I managed to fall asleep.

* * *

The Doctor sighed silently as he gently tightened the grip he had on his precious human in his arms. He didn't like this place, the dark matter was enveloping his senses like a perfume mixing the heavy smell of roses, dark chocolate and black cherries. He could almost taste the dark matter on his tongue. Everything in this place screamed at him to run away as far as possible to breathe air much purer than this one; but he couldn't. Not when some mysterious signal echoed through the Time Vortex, through his Tardis... and into his mind.

He must get to the source of the signal, to understand what it was, its power, and then stop it. Because it would drive him mad to hear the signal resonate in his mind again and again...

Was he going to go insane like his old friend? He, who had been driven mad by the Untempered Schism when he was eight. He, who claimed to hear drums when he was younger.

_No. I won't become like him._

He won't become like his oldest friend, because he will discover the mystery that covered this antique city and solve the riddle that was the signal, and he will do it with her. His companion and his beloved.

* * *

I know that the day and night on this planet were quite different, but it was hard for me to tell the difference when I was expecting a big blue sky with the sun to light up the day. So, I moaned that it was still night when the Doctor tried to wake me up. He was holding himself back from laughing openly, but I could hear his amused chuckle and see his shoulders trembling with laughter as his lips were pinched in a slight smile.

To our biggest relief, the spectral armour disappeared, and the mist had subsided. It hadn't disappeared, but it really didn't bother us, as we could see about thirty meters towards the horizon and up high. Unfortunately, we got lost in the town. After running for our lives, the day before, we had strayed from our original street and it was impossible to find that exact street again; especially since the buildings and temples looked very much the same.

After a modest breakfast and packing up all our stuff, we started our exploration again, repeating the same routine as yesterday. The mist didn't disappear and became a bit thicker as we sank deeper into the ancient city. Under circumstances that I still don't understand, I ended up being distanced from the Doctor. Maybe I had gone too far or maybe the other way around; but anyway, I was alone. Alone in the ruined city with no landmarks and lost.

The mist was getting thicker and it became really impossible for me to find my way around the city. It was from this moment on that I began to call the Doctor; shouting his name again and again. My voice echoing against the time-worn stones.

I tightened and pulled the shoulder strap of my bag close to my body, holding it so tightly that my knuckles turned white and painful. I swiftly turned my head from right to left, taking awkward steps and turning over from time to time. My neck was tingling as the sensation of being watched was so strong. I no longer felt lonely and safe.

I heard whispers coming from the ambient flora, maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me; but it was doing its job very well because I panicked. My heart pounded so hard I could hear the pulse beating in my ears, fear twisted my insides as panic stole my breath.

"DOCTOR! "I shouted.

Then suddenly everything stopped. Reality took over. A hand rested on my shoulder, a big, warm hand. Just like the voice that followed after that touch.

"There you are. We've been looking for you everywhere."


End file.
